For the first time in the history of the Oscars, the prestigious ceremony is likely to be cancelled. As reported by The Sun, the Academy Awards 2025 are likely to be called off due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Reportedly, the official Academy Awards ceremony, led by stars including Tom Hanks, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep, and Steven Spielberg, is monitoring the situation in LA to make a final decision.
“The board’s main concern at this time is to not appear as if they are celebrating while many Angelenos are dealing with heartbreak and unimaginable loss. Even if the fires were to subside in the next week, the reality is that the city is still hurting and will continue to deal with that pain for months. Therefore, the hierarchy has decided that the focus will shift toward support and fundraising when the right opportunities present themselves,” a source cited by the portal claimed. For now, the ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 2.Earlier this month, Oscar nominations were also delayed in light of the wildfire. The announcement of nominees for the 97th Academy Awards was originally scheduled for January 17. It will now take place on January 19. Additionally, voting for nominations was also extended by two days to January 14.
Chief Executive Bill Kramer wrote in a letter which read, “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.”
Besides this, the British Academy of Film and TV Arts Tea Party, the AFI Awards luncheon and the Critics Choice Awards have also been postponed.
Meanwhile, as the fire spread across multiple locations in Los Angeles, several people have been confirmed dead and multiple structures have also been destroyed. Hollywood celebrities like Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, Mark Hamill, Adam Brody, Leighton Meester, Fergie, Anna Faris and Anthony Hopkins among others have lost their homes to the fire.
