Oscars Voting Delayed, Nominees Lunch Canceled Due to LA Fires

Large golden Oscar statues guard the entrance to the Dolby Theatre where the Academy Awards are held. (Credit: Shutterstock)

The Oscars academy is making changes to its events calendar as wildfires continue to cause devastation across Los Angeles County.

In a press release on Monday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced several schedule changes in the lead-up to the 97th Oscars.

Related: SAG Awards Nominations Revealed After LA Fires Forced Live Ceremony Cancellation

Among those changes, awards voting has been extended; the Oscars nominees luncheon scheduled for Monday, Feb. 10 is now canceled; and the Scientific and Technical Awards planned for Feb. 18 will be moved to an unspecified date.

“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community. The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship,” academy CEO Bill Kramer and academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement.

“Our members always share how important it is for us to come together as a community, and we are determined to use this opportunity to celebrate our resilient and compassionate industry,” the statement continued. “We also look forward to honoring our frontline workers who have aided with the fires, recognizing those impacted, and encouraging people to join the Academy in supporting the relief efforts.”

This year’s Oscar nominations will be announced virtually on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 5:30 a.m. PT, without in-person media coverage. It’s the second time the nominations have been delayed because of the fires, after they were pushed from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19.

The 97th Oscars are still scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC, streamed live on Hulu and air live in more than 200 territories worldwide.

Still, the academy noted that all dates are subject to change.


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About Anita Bennett

Anita Bennett is the editor and founder of Urban Hollywood 411. She can be reached on Twitter @tvanita.

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