Los Angeles: The ongoing Southern California fires, which have caused widespread disruption, are now impacting the entertainment industry. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended the deadline for Oscar nomination voting by two days due to the fires.
Originally set to close on January 12, voting for the nearly 10,000 Academy members, which began on January 8, will now end on January 14. As a result, the announcement of the Oscar nominations, initially scheduled for January 17, has been pushed to January 19.
In an email sent to Academy members on Wednesday afternoon, CEO Bill Kramer acknowledged the difficult situation and outlined the date changes. The Academy also offered condolences to those affected by the fires, particularly members and industry colleagues living and working in the Los Angeles area. "We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California. So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you," the email stated.
In addition to the voting extension, several industry events have been impacted. The International Feature Shortlist Screening, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday evening in Los Angeles, has been postponed to later in the week. Other in-person events, such as the Los Angeles Sound Branch Bake-Off and Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch Bake-Offs, set for January 11 in Los Angeles and New York City, have been canceled. Similarly, the Los Angeles and Bay Area Visual Effects Branch Bake-Offs have also been called off.
The fire crisis has also led to the cancellation or postponement of several Los Angeles-area premieres and events. Amazon MGM Studios and Universal Studios were the first to cancel their planned premieres of 'Unstoppable' and 'Wolf Man' on Tuesday night. Paramount and Max followed suit, calling off their Wednesday premieres of 'Better Man' and 'The Pitt'.
As the fires continue to affect the region, the entertainment industry is adjusting to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved. The 2025 Oscars ceremony is still scheduled to take place on March 2, with Conan O'Brien confirmed as the host.
With IANS inputs