As the highly destructive wildfires continue to devastate the Los Angeles area, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sent a letter to its members to inform them of new developments. The voting period has been extended by two days, which has also pushed the announcement of the Academy Award nominations back by several days. The nominations will now be announced on January 19th.
The letter from CEO Bill Kramer reads: “Dear Academy members, 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. Given the fire situation, we want to share some updates regarding an extension to the Oscars nominations voting window as well as updated information on Oscars Shortlist Screenings, Oscars Bake-Offs, and the Academy Museum.“
Kramer continued, “Nominations voting for the 97th Oscars opened this morning at 9am 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 5pm PT. As such, our Oscars Nominations Announcement will move from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19. More information on the announcement will follow soon.“
A handful of theaters in the Los Angeles area have also been closed due to the wildfires, as have the premieres of several films, including Wolf Man, The Last Showgirl, Unstoppable, and Better Man. The Critics Choice Awards have also been postponed. The event was originally planned for January 12th but will now be broadcast on January 26th on E! and streamed on Peacock the following day. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community,” Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin said in a statement. “All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected.“
The wildfires have already destroyed thousands of homes and structures and forced over 70,000 people to evacuate. Several deaths have also been reported. Our thoughts go out to all those affected by the fires. Stay safe out there.
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