Oscars 2025: Nominations delayed due to LA wildfires
As wildfires tear through Los Angeles, the Oscars have extended their voting period. Originally set to close on January 12th, 2025, voting will now close on the 14th, meaning that the announcement of the Academy Award nominees will also be delayed.
In Los Angeles, California, countless homes are being destroyed by wildfires, leaving thousands displaced and many more forced to evacuate. Four major fires are currently burning in four separate areas of the city: the Palisades fire, Eaton fire, Hurst fire, and Lidia fire. So far, at least five people have died as a result of the disaster. Already, it is being reported as the most destructive wildfire in LA’s history.
In response, the Oscars have extended their voting period. As usual, voting opened on January 8th for the nearly 10,000 Academy members and would usually close on the 12th.
To account for this crisis, relieve stress on the members, and be respectful of the situation unfolding, voting has now been extended. This two-day extension also means that the announcement of nominees has been pushed back, too, now scheduled for January 19th.
This change in schedule was announced to the Academy via an email from CEO Bill Kramer. “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” he wrote, adding, “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”
The fires have caused the film industry across the board to react. The SAG Awards nominations, which were due to be announced at a live event on Wednesday morning, changed to being revealed in a press release instead as the event was cancelled.
Additionally, the Critics Choice Awards were due to be held on January 12th in Santa Monica but have now been postponed to January 26th. Several other premieres and award-season events have also been called off while the situation in the city is still incredibly dangerous.
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