Renowned author Stephen King has urged the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to postpone the 97th annual Academy Awards ceremony due to the ongoing devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.
As reported by Deadline, King declared he would not be participating in this year's awards voting and believes the ceremony should be canceled entirely, citing the lack of celebratory atmosphere in a city grappling with a major crisis. The wildfires, which began on January 7th, have tragically claimed at least 27 lives and continue to rage.
"Not voting in the Oscars this year," King stated in a Bluesky post. "Frankly, they should be canceled. No festive spirit with Los Angeles burning."
The voting deadline has been extended to January 17th, and the nominations announcement is rescheduled for January 23rd. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony remains scheduled for March 2nd.
"We are deeply saddened by the impact of the fires and the immense losses suffered by so many in our community," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang stated in a press release accompanying the schedule changes. "The Academy has always been a unifying force in the film industry, and we are dedicated to supporting each other during this difficult time."
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