With more than 100,000 people affected by the recent wildfires in Southern California, many are struggling to get into the awards season spirit.
After the 97th Academy Awards previously delayed nominations and extended the voting period amid the disaster, Stephen King suggested the event should be canceled entirely this year.
“I will not be voting in the Oscars this year. IMHO they should cancel them. There is no glamor with LA on fire,” the author wrote on Bluesky.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shared this week that nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 23 at 5:30 AM PT, with the voting period extended until January 17 at 5 PM PT.
Jean Smart previously urged networks that air awards shows to consider “donating the proceeds they would have earned to fire victims and firefighters.”
A view of the mountain's flames as seen from Topanga Canyon near Pacific Palisades on January 9, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, stars like Paris Hilton, Milo Ventimiglia, Adam Brody, Leighton Meester and Billy Crystal lost their homes in the wildfires, which raged in Pacific Palisades, Eaton Canyon, Malibu, the Hollywood Hills and other areas around Los Angeles County amid a wind storm that “threatened Life and Devastation” broke out last week.
As of Wednesday, at least 25 people have died in Southern California wildfires. Meanwhile, more than 105,000 people received mandatory evacuation orders. Since the fires broke out, officers have arrested 44 people across the affected areas, including for arson, burglary, breaching the curfew and other violations.
President Joe Biden, who extended his trip to Los Angeles last week to visit first responders and those affected, declared the fires a major disaster and directed the federal government to cover 100% of disaster assistance costs.
