The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has once again postponed the announcement of the Academy Award nominations. Due to the ongoing impact of the Los Angeles wildfires, which have affected many within the industry, the original nomination announcement date, set for January 17 (local time), was first moved to January 19. The new date has now been pushed to 5:30 a.m. on January 23 (10:30 p.m. Japan time, January 23). Additionally, the voting period for union members has been extended until 5 p.m. on January 17.
As previously announced, the 97th Academy Awards ceremony will still take place on March 2, though the traditional nominees' luncheon, scheduled for February 10, has been canceled. The Scientific and Engineering Awards ceremony has also been postponed, with a new date to be determined. All of these dates remain subject to further changes.
In a joint statement, AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang expressed their deep sorrow over the devastation caused by the fires and the profound loss experienced by many communities. They emphasized that the Academy has always been a symbol of unity within the film industry and reaffirmed their commitment to overcoming this challenge together.
Kramer and Yang also noted that the rescheduled events were necessary to accommodate the additional infrastructure and lodging needs arising from the current situation. They concluded their statement with a message of resilience, compassion, and solidarity: "We want this ceremony to not only celebrate the strength of the film industry but also honor the firefighters and frontline workers, and extend our support to those affected by this disaster. Together, we will get through this and bring healing to our global film community."
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 2.
