Yahoo Lifestyle Will the Oscars Be Canceled? What to Know About the Academy Awards Amid California Fires
With the devastation of the Los Angeles fires raging through Southern California, people are wondering if the Oscars—Hollywood's biggest night in film—will be canceled as the city assesses damages and attempts to recover from the destructive blazes.
“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang told Variety in a joint statement in January 2025. “The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship."
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The fires, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, have scorched over 40,000 acres across Los Angeles County since Jan. 7, displacing tens of thousands and destroying more than 12,000 structures, per NBC News.
“Additionally, as we want to be sensitive to the infrastructure and lodging needs of the region in these next few weeks, it is imperative that we make some changes to our schedule of events, which we believe will have the support of our industry," Kramer and Yang added. "We will get through this together and bring a sense of healing to our global film community.”
Keep reading for what we know about the Oscars and whether or not they will be canceled:
Why are the Oscars nominations delayed?
The Oscars nominations were delayed due to the L.A. wildfires, the Academy announced in January 2025.
Originally, the voting period was set to end on Sunday, Jan. 12, before it was pushed to Tuesday, Jan. 14. The date was pushed back again to Friday, Jan. 17, until 8 p.m. ET.
"Due to the still-active fires in the Los Angeles area, we feel it is necessary to extend our voting period and move the date of our nominations announcement to allow additional time for our members," Kramer and Yang said in their statement.
Nominations for the 97th Oscars are set to be announced on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 8:30 a.m. ET via a virtual event with no in-person media coverage.
Will the Oscars be canceled?
There is no official word if the 97th annual Academy Awards will be canceled. As of Jan. 14, 2025, the show is slated to air on its original date.
Though the Oscars ceremony is set to go on as planned, the annual Oscars Nominees Luncheon—scheduled for Feb. 10—was canceled.
Have the Oscars been canceled before?
No, the Oscars have not been canceled before. The award ceremony has been taking place annually since 1929.
Where are the Oscars held?
The Oscars have been held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood every year. According to the venue's website, the Dolby was "designed with the Academy Awards broadcast in mind" and hosted the prestigious event from 2001 to 2020.
The Oscars were held at Union Station in Los Angeles in 2021 due to COVID regulations before returning to the Dolby the following year.
When are the Oscars?
The 97th annual Academy Awards are scheduled to air on Sunday, March 3, 2025.
Related: How to Help Those Affected by the California Wildfires: Resources, Donations, More
