As firefighters gradually control wildfires across Los Angeles, life in Hollywood is returning toward normalcy. After a series of bumps, the 2025 Oscars voting process is back on track, with a major milestone finally reached as of 5pm PT on Friday.
There was a time just a few weeks ago when this year’s Academy Awards were completely uncertain. Opportunities for some potential candidates to pitch their work to voters have been eliminated, with video presentations being proposed instead. In-person showings have been rescheduled or scaled up entirely, with one industry insider saying: “Continuing business as usual does not seem right when the lives of so many we know and love have been devastated.” Vanity gallery.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer The voting deadline for the 2025 Academy Awards nominations has passed twice since the fires began, first a two-day extension from January 12 to January 14, and then again to January 17. “It is necessary to extend our voting period and postpone the announcement date of our nominations to allow additional time for our members,” Kramer and the Academy President said Janet Yang This was stated in a joint statement last week. “In addition, as we want to be sensitive to the infrastructure and housing needs of the region in the next few weeks, it is essential that we make some changes to our event schedule, which we believe will have the support of our industry.”
As of press time, the top two fires still active in the area are the Palisades Fire, which is 43% contained, and the Eaton Fire, which is now 73% contained. So far, 27 people have been confirmed dead due to the fires that have burned 40,697 acres and destroyed 12,845 buildings. To get the latest statistics, Visit the Cal Fire website.
The nomination voting deadline isn’t the only exciting change to the 2025 Academy Awards calendar. The official nomination announcement, previously scheduled for Friday, January 17, has been postponed to Thursday, January 23 at 5:30 a.m. PT. These meetups are usually live and in-person, and the competitors will be announced at a virtual event this year. Candidates expected by Vanity gallery Includes Cynthia Erivo In the Best Actress category evilColman Domingo as the best possible actor Sing and singand Zoe Saldaña As the best possible supporting actress for Emilia Perez. (You can see VFFull list of predictions here.)
Whatever his name, we won’t see him at the annual candidates’ luncheon. The event is usually an attractive campaign stop for candidates, but the star-studded event will not take place this year. In addition, the Scientific and Technical Academy Awards Ceremony – scheduled for Tuesday, February 18 – has been postponed and the new date is TBA.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the big night, which, as of last week, has remained steady and consistent. The 97th Academy Awards will still be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theater at Ovation Hollywood and will be broadcast live at 7pm ET/4pm PT on ABC, streamed live on Hulu and streamed On more than 200 channels. Worldwide,” Yang and Kramer reconfirmed on January 13, though they did so after noting that “all dates are subject to change.”
When the ceremony takes place, expect a sometimes somber tone and appreciation for the firefighters and relief workers who toiled in the natural disaster. “Our members always share how important it is for us to come together as a community, and we are determined to use this opportunity to celebrate our resilient and compassionate industry,” say Yang and Kramer. “We also look forward to honoring the frontline workers who helped fight the fires, recognizing those affected, and encouraging people to join the academy to support relief efforts.”
