In light of the horrific wildfires in Los Angeles, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has modified the schedule for voting on Oscar nominations. Voting for the Academy’s almost 10,000 members, which started on January 8 and was originally set to expire on January 12, has been extended until January 14. The nominations announcement has also been rescheduled for January 19. An email from CEO Bill Kramer, sent on January 8, communicated these changes to members.
The email said, “We stand in solidarity with the victims of these devastating fires and extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by these catastrophic fires. Many of our members and colleagues are based in the Los Angeles area, so you are in our thoughts. In other schedule changes, the International Feature Shortlist Screening has been postponed, as have the Los Angeles and New York Sound Branch and Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Bake-Offs originally planned for January 11.”
The ongoing flames in Los Angeles have caused extensive damage; some residents lost their houses to the fires, and five people have died. The Los Angeles Fire Department reports that a new fire, known as the Sunset Fire, started in the Hollywood Hills and has now grown to 20 acres between Runyon Canyon and Wattles Park.
Famous sites like the Hollywood sign and the Dolby Theatre, the site of the yearly Oscars ceremony, are in danger due to this fire. The 2025 Oscars, hosted by Conan O’Brien, are scheduled for March 2 despite these issues.
