Oscars face cancellation fears for first time in 96 years amid rampant LA fires
The Oscars ceremony could be cancelled for the first time in its 96-year history as devastating wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles.
Official Academy Award committees are reportedly monitoring the situation daily ahead of the planned March event, with growing concerns about the appropriateness of hosting a celebratory gathering whilst thousands of residents remain homeless.
The reports come as the awards nominations announcement has been rescheduled for the second time. They will now take place on January 23 in a virtual format without in-person media coverage.
Academy chief executive Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang confirmed the nominations delay on Monday, as thousands remain evacuated from their homes in the Los Angeles area.
The Academy had previously extended the voting window by two days “to give members more time to cast their ballots” amid the wildfire crisis.
“We are all devastated by the impact of the fires and the profound losses experienced by so many in our community,” Kramer and Yang said in a joint statement.
They added: “The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship.”
“Imperative” alternations have also been made to other scheduled events, including cancelling the annual nominees luncheon.
The Academy has also decided to scrap its traditional £140,000 goody bags, which typically include luxury items such as Swiss alps holidays, beauty treatments, jewellery and high-end barbecue grills.
Board members deemed the lavish gifts “bad taste” given the current crisis.
The changes were made to be “sensitive to the infrastructure and lodging needs of the region in these next few weeks”, according to Kramer and Yang.
As it currently stands, the main awards ceremony is still scheduled to go ahead on March 2, but concerns are reportedly growing.
An insider told The Sun: “The board’s main concern at this time is to not look like they are celebrating while many Los Angelenos are dealing with heartbreak and unimaginable loss.”
“And certainly, even if the fires went out in the next week, the reality is that the city is still hurting and will be dealing with that pain for months,” the source added.
They continued: “While the Californian dream is not yet dead, it is incrementally dying. These wildfires have absolutely devastated the state, uniting everyone — from A-lister to waiter.
“And the very thought of having a waiter, a poorly paid innocent who has lost their home, serving delicate Wagyu burgers and sliced cucumber sandwiches to multi-millionaire movie stars doesn’t exactly sit right.”
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The Oscars has faced disruptions before, with the 2021 ceremony being delayed by two months due to Covid-19.
Historical postponements include a week’s delay due to Los Angeles flooding in 1938, a two-day delay following Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination in 1968, and a 24-hour postponement after President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
The fires have scorched more than 20,000 acres and is only 11 per cent contained, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes, including several high-profile residents.
Amidst reaction to the ongoing disaster, actor Mel Gibson, 69, sparked controversy after suggesting the blazes may been started deliberately while appearing on Fox News.
“It’s an insane thing to think,” Gibson told host Laura Ingraham. “But one begins to ponder whether or not there is a purpose in mind. What could it be? Do they want the state empty? I dunno.”