The announcement of this year’s Oscar nominations has been postponed nearly a week due to the ongoing wildfires impacting California. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed that the new date for the nominations to be unveiled is January 23.
“The devastation caused by the fires has deeply affected many in our community, and we share in their grief,” stated Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang in a joint message. “Historically, the Academy has played a vital role in uniting the film industry, and we are resolved to support one another during these challenging times.”
With the fires still affecting areas in and around Los Angeles, the Academy has also extended the period during which its members can cast votes for nominees until Friday. Initially, the announcement of nominees was planned for earlier that day.
Additionally, the organization responsible for the Oscars has decided to cancel its traditional nominees luncheon, which typically attracts attention for its “class photo” opportunities. An event for the Scientific and Technical Awards, originally scheduled for February 18, will now be rescheduled for a later date.
On the same day, the Writers Guild of America announced a delay in the announcement of their nominees with no new date set. The announcement was initially meant for January 9, then postponed to Monday, and has now been rescheduled yet again. The ceremony for these awards is set for February 15.
Despite these changes, the 97th Academy Awards will still take place on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre, featuring a live broadcast on ABC starting at 7 p.m. ET and available for streaming on Hulu.
It’s worth noting that the Oscar nominations experienced a delay in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, the ceremony has seen postponements for various reasons; for instance, it was rescheduled a week in 1938 due to severe flooding in Los Angeles.
In 1968, the event was shifted two days later following the tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., while in 1981, it was pushed back by 24 hours after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C. That decision came just four hours before the ceremony was originally slated to commence.
