Los Angeles Wildfires: Oscars Postpones Nominations Announcement

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending its Oscar nomination voting and moved the date back for its nominations announcement from Friday, Jan. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 19 due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

In an email addressed to members on Wednesday afternoon, AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer informed the membership that Oscar nomination voting has been extended for two days to now close on Jan. 14, The Wrap reports. Due to the change, the nominations announcement is also delayed by two days, moving to Sunday for the first time in its history.

“We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” the email obtained by The Wrap reads. “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.”

Along with the changes to the schedule on voting and the postponement of announcing its nominations, the Academy also postponed its International Feature Film Shortlist Screening, which was scheduled to take place on Wednesday; it will be rescheduled at an unspecified date later this week. Pre-nomination “bake-off” events scheduled for Saturday have been canceled, per the email.

The fires have forced several television shows and entertainment industry events to postpone or cancel. On Wednesday, Jimmy Kimmel Live canceled its taping scheduled for that evening, and CBS’ After Midnight is off for the rest of the week. The Critics Choice Awards, which were planned for this Sunday, Jan. 12, have been postponed and rescheduled for Jan. 26.