Critics' Choice Awards postponed, BAFTA Tea Party canceled amid Pacific Palisades fire

Two major events of Hollywood's awards season have been canceled in the wake of the Pacific Palisades fire in Los Angeles.

The Critics' Choice Awards, an annual star-studded ceremony honoring the best in cinema, has been postponed to Jan. 26 after its 2025 edition was scheduled to take place on Sunday. The ceremony's suspension is in observance of "the catastrophic fires ravaging Southern California," according to an official statement.

"This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community," CCA CEO Joey Berlin said in a Wednesday statement to USA TODAY. "All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected."

'Fleeing for our lives': Mark Hamill, more celebrities evacuate amid Los Angeles wildfires

The rescheduled Critics' Choice Awards, which was going to be held at the Barker Hangar, will remain at the Santa Monica venue. The ceremony will broadcast live on E! and be available on streaming service Peacock the next day.

Powerful Santa Ana winds have whipped up several wildfires across LA County since Tuesday, killing at least five people and setting homes ablaze. Winds were expected to ease overnight Wednesday, but forecasters warned conditions will remain critical through at least Thursday.

The Eaton Fire, which ignited 30 miles inland in Altadena near Pasadena, quickly grew to more than 16 square miles, or 10,600 acres. The Palisades Fire, which pulverized buildings, was burning at 15,832 acres between the beach towns of Santa Monica and Malibu. A third blaze, the Hurst Fire, ignited in Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley northwest of downtown Los Angeles and burned at least 500 acres, prompting evacuations of some nearby residents.

Actors Eugene Levy and James Woods, as well as reality-TV stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, were among the celebrities who had to flee their California residences. Other events, such as the premiere of Jennifer Lopez's film "Unstoppable," were also canceled due to the fiery conditions.

Actress Jean Smart took to Instagram Wednesday with a message for television executives about future awards shows amid the damage.

"Attention! With ALL due respect, during Hollywood’s season of celebration, I hope any of the networks televising the upcoming awards will seriously consider NOT televising them and donating the revenue they would have garnered to victims of the fires and the firefighters,” Smart wrote.

BAFTA Tea Party reportedly canceled due to Los Angeles wildfire

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts' 2025 Tea Party, which was scheduled to take place Saturday at The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, was canceled due to the raging Pacific Palisades fire, according to the Los Angeles Times and Deadline.

"In light of the dangerous winds and wildfires in Los Angeles, we are cancelling this weekend's BAFTA Tea Party," the organization told the outlets in a statement. "The safety of our colleagues, friends and peers in Los Angeles remains our utmost priority and our thoughts are with everyone impacted."

Pacific Palisades fire in Hollywood: Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag's home burns down

During awards season, the BAFTA Tea Party is a key industry event that allows film professionals to network ahead of the Academy Awards in March.

AFI Fest postponed indefinitely

Friday's AFI Awards luncheon, honoring the American Film Institute's 10 best movies and TV shows, was postponed indefinitely on Wednesday.

"Given the tragedies that prevail in Los Angeles," an AFI statement said. "The spirit of community we strive for will be unachievable on Friday."

Pamela Anderson's 'The Last Showgirl' premiere canceled

The Los Angeles premiere of Pamela Anderson's latest film, "The Last Showgirl," has been canceled.

"In light of the devastation in LA County, and out of an abundance of caution for everyone involved, the Los Angeles premiere for Roadside Attractions' 'The Last Showgirl' has been cancelled," a representative confirmed to USA TODAY Wednesday. The premiere was originally scheduled for Thursday at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.

"We are thankful to all first responders and our thoughts are with the people being affected," the statement continued.

"The Last Showgirl" will be released in theaters nationwide Friday.

'I have nothing to lose': Pamela Anderson on her 'Last Showgirl' dream role

Oscar nominations delayed due to Los Angeles fires

According to Variety and Billboard, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has extended the Oscar nominations window by two days due to the fires ravaging Los Angeles County. They also delayed the announcement of the 97th annual Oscar nominations by two days.

Instead of Jan. 17, nominations will be revealed Jan. 19.

"We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California," wrote Academy CEO Bill Kramer in a letter to members on Wednesday, per the outlets. "So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you."

"Given the fire situation, we want to share some updates regarding an extension to the Oscars nominations voting window…Nominations voting for the 97th Oscars opened this morning at 9 am PT. We will be extending the voting window by two days to give members more time to cast their ballots. Voting will now close on Tuesday, January 14 at 5 pm PT," the statement continued.

"Thank you for your understanding during this complex time," the statement concluded. "We hope everyone is safe."

The ceremony, hosted by Conan O'Brien, will be held March 2.

WGA Awards reschedules nominations announcement

The Writers Guild of America Awards on Wednesday issued a statement, writing: "With Los Angeles under a state of emergency due to multiple wildfires, we will be delaying the announcement of nominees until Monday, January, 13, 2025."

This story was updated to correct a typo and add new information.

Contributing: Pamela Avila, Anna Kaufman, Anthony Robledo and Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Critics' Choice Awards, Oscar nominations affected by Los Angeles fire