Like every other awards show this year, the Oscars are being scaled back due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
And on Monday, the president of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts & Sciences, spelled out just how different the event will be.
In a letter emailed to the Academy’s nearly 10,000 members, David Rubin confirmed that only presenters and nominees with a plus one will be present in person for the telecast, THR.com reported.
Changes: Only presenters and nominees with a plus one will be allowed to attend the 93rd Academy Awards in person at a scaled back ceremony on April 25, THR.com reported Monday
Rubin wrote: ‘Though we’d hoped the pandemic would be more in our rearview mirror by the month of April, the health and safety of our members and Oscar nominees are our primary concern, so we’ve had to make some necessary decisions about some of our highly anticipated Oscar-week events.’
It had already been announced that the 93rd Academy Awards will come from two locations – from its usual home at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre and from the historic Union Station in Downtown LA.
Presumably having two venues means that the nominees, presenters and crew can be spread out between both places, enabling adequate social distancing.
In addition to there being no audience, Rubin revealed that all the usual events that surround the awards show are also being scrapped.
There will not be the Oscar Nominees Luncheon ahead of the April 25 awards show and the traditional post-ceremony Governor’s Ball is also cancelled.
No audience: The changes had to be made due to the COVID-19 pandemic and surrounding events including the Oscar Nominees Luncheon and Governor’s Ball have also been scrapped
Notice: ‘The health and safety of our members and Oscar nominees are our primary concern,’ Academy President David Rubin said in an email to the Academy’s almost 10,000 members
Other casualties of the scaled back proceedings include nominations screenings; the International Feature Film nominee cocktail reception; and Oscar Night watch parties in London and New York.
Despite the major changes, Rubin ended his letter by assuring Academy members that the Oscars will still be an ‘exciting show’.
‘In a year marked by so much uncertainty, one thing is without question: We have enlisted the ideal trio of producers–Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh–to put together an Oscars show like none other, to honor the extraordinary movies, memorable performances and achievements in filmmaking of the past year,’ Rubin said.
Here they are: Early on Monday morning, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra had announced this year’s Academy Awards nominations
Frontrunner: David Fincher’s black-and-white Netflix movie Mank secured the most nominations, with 10 nods including for best picture, best director, best actor for Gary Oldman and best supporting actress for Amanda Seyfried
Early on Monday morning, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra had announced this year’s Academy Awards nominations.
David Fincher’s black-and-white Netflix movie Mank secured the most nominations, with 10 nods including for best picture, best director, best actor for Gary Oldman and best supporting actress for Amanda Seyfried.
Six films, all of them also up for best picture, scored six nominations each: Judas and the Black Messiah, Nomadland, Minari, Sound of Metal, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Father. Also nominated for best picture was Promising Young Woman.
Joining Oldman in the best actor category are Anthony Hopkins, Riz Ahmed, Steven Yeun and the late Chadwick Boseman.
The best actress nominees are Viola Davis, Andra Day, Vanessa Kirby, Frances McDormand and Carey Mulligan.
In the best supporting actor category are Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Odom Jr., Daniel Kaluuya, Paul Raci and LaKeith Stanfield.
The best supporting actress nominees are Seyfried, Maria Bakalova, Glenn Close, Yuh-Jung Youn and Olivia Colman.
It had already been announced that the 93rd Academy Awards will come from two locations – from its usual home at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre…
And for the first time, from the historic Union Station in Downtown LA…..