The Oscar nominations announcement has been delayed by nearly a week due to the California wildfires. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday that nominations will now be revealed on January 23.
“We are deeply saddened by the impact of the fires and the significant losses suffered by many in our community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang stated in a joint press release. “The Academy has always been a unifying force in the film industry, and we are committed to supporting each other during this difficult time.”
With wildfires still burning in the Los Angeles area, the Academy extended the nominations voting period for its members until Friday. The nominations were originally scheduled to be announced that morning.
The Academy has also canceled its annual Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony, an untelevised event known for its group photos. The ceremony, previously slated for February 18, will be rescheduled at a later date.
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will still take place on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre, airing live on ABC at 7 p.m. ET and streaming live on Hulu.
Oscar nominations were previously postponed in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The awards ceremony itself has been delayed on several prior occasions: It was postponed by a week due to severe flooding in Los Angeles in 1938.
In 1968, it was delayed by two days following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And in 1981, it was postponed for 24 hours after President Ronald Reagan was shot in Washington D.C.
The 1981 postponement was decided just four hours before the scheduled broadcast.