The Oscars have announced updates to its timeline, extending the nomination voting period and rescheduling key events in light of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
The voting period was initially set to end on Sunday, Jan. 12, before the Academy pushed it to Tuesday, Jan. 14; now, voting will run through Friday, Jan. 17, until 5 p.m. PT. Nominations for the 97th Oscars will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 5:30 a.m. PT. The nominations will be unveiled during a virtual event without in-person media coverage. The 97th Oscars ceremony remains scheduled for Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
The Academy also announced the cancellation of the annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon, initially scheduled for Monday, Feb. 10. Additionally, the Scientific and Technical Awards, which were set for Tuesday, Feb. 18, will be postponed to a later date yet to be determined.
“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship. Due to the still-active fires in the Los Angeles area, we feel it is necessary to extend our voting period and move the date of our nominations announcement to allow additional time for our members.”
The Academy also donated $750,000 to the Motion Picture & Television Fund. The fires, which have disrupted numerous Los Angeles-area premieres and events, prompted multiple organisational adjustments.
The statement from Kramer and Yang continued: “Additionally, as we want to be sensitive to the infrastructure and lodging needs of the region in these next few weeks, it is imperative that we make some changes to our schedule of events, which we believe will have the support of our industry. 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. We also look forward to honoring our frontline workers who have aided with the fires, recognising those impacted, and encouraging people to join the Academy in supporting the relief efforts. We will get through this together and bring a sense of healing to our global film community.”