The announcement of the nominations for this year’s Oscars, also known as The Academy Awards, has been pushed back again due to the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires.
READ MORE: Entertainment world reacts to “heart-wrenching” Los Angeles wildfires
The voting deadline for members has been extended to January 17, while the reveal of the nomination has been moved to January 23. Both have been moved back almost a week from their original dates. The Academy also cancelled the annual Oscar nominees luncheon, originally scheduled for February 10, while the Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony will now be held on February 18.
The nominations announcement has been changed to a virtual event, with no in-person media. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang released a statement saying: “We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community. The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship”.
Beginning last Tuesday (January 7), the LA Wildfires have resulted in 24 deaths so far, with 23 people missing at the time of writing. Strong winds have caused difficulty for those fighting the blaze, with two large fires and two smaller ones still burning. It has been described as the most devastating fire in the city’s history.
A firefighter working on the wildfires in Los Angeles CREDIT: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Thousands of homes have been destroyed, including those of some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Sir Anthony Hopkins spoke of the loss of his home to the fire, saying: “the only thing we take with us is the love we give”. Nine-time Academy Awards host Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, and Oscar winner James Woods have all released statements about losing their houses to the fires.
In the music industry, a concert titled FireAid has been announced to raise money for those affected by the wildfires.
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