Oscar nominations delayed due to LA fires

The announcement of this year’s Oscar nominations has been delayed by two days due to the deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Originally scheduled for Friday, January 17, the nominations will now be revealed on January 19. The voting period for the nearly 10,000 Academy members, which began on January 8, has also been extended until Tuesday, January 14.

Several celebrities, including former Oscars host Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, James Woods, and Miles Teller, have lost their homes in the fires. In a letter to members, Academy CEO Bill Kramer expressed condolences, saying, “We are thinking of you” as many in the industry have been affected.

The fires have disrupted Hollywood and its film and TV industry, causing the cancellation or postponement of several events, including movie premieres like Unstoppable, Wolf Man, Robbie Williams’ Better Man, and The Pitt. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards nominee announcement event was also called off, with nominations released via press release instead, with Wicked leading the pack.

Meanwhile, Demi Moore boosted her chances for an Oscar nomination after winning a Golden Globe for her role in Substance. The Golden Globes, the first major event of the awards season, are seen as a strong indicator of films gaining momentum ahead of the Oscars. Other film winners included Emilia Pérez, The Brutalist, and Wicked. Conan O’Brien is set to host the 2025 Oscars ceremony on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre.