Will the Oscars 2025 be cancelled or postponed because of the Los Angeles wildfires? Fact-check | Hollywood News
Speculation has been rife about the possible cancellation or postponement of the 97th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 2, due to the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. However, it has now been confirmed that these rumours are baseless, and the Oscars 2025 will proceed as scheduled.
A recent report The Sun had claimed that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was mulling a cancellation, citing a “secret ‘contingency strategy’.” The report also suggested that a committee comprising stars such as Tom Hanks, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep, and Steven Spielberg was monitoring the situation. However, senior figures at the Academy and individuals close to the aforementioned celebrities have categorically denied these claims, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Academy’s 55-person board of governors, which includes four members who personally lost their homes in the wildfires, is currently deliberating on how to proceed with the ceremony. The board has already implemented some changes to the Oscar schedule in response to the situation.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang issued a joint statement conveying their heartfelt sorrow over the devastating impact of the wildfires on the community. They emphasised the Academy’s role as a unifying force in the film industry and reaffirmed their commitment to standing together during these challenging times. The statement reads: “We are all devastated the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced so many in our community.”
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In a gesture of sensitivity to the region’s infrastructure and lodging needs, the Academy has cancelled the annual nominees luncheon, among other adjustments to its scheduled events.
Despite the challenges posed the wildfires, the Academy is committed to holding the ceremony as scheduled. The Oscars have never been cancelled in their 96-year hory, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the ceremony was slightly postponed and held in a pared-down manner.
The ceremony typically employs around 1,000 locals and is expected to go ahead in a dignified manner, with efforts to raise funds for and celebrate fire relief efforts. The Oscars ceremony is slated to take place at the Dol Theatre in Ovation Hollywood.
This year’s Oscars will be available to watch live on ABC and Hulu on March 2, with Conan O’Brien hosting the ceremony. The event will kick off with red carpet coverage followed the main ceremony.
