Oscars promise live event
`In-person telecast will happen,' academy rep says
There will be no “virtual” Oscars. “The Oscars in-person telecast will happen,” a rep from the academy and ABC tells Variety exclusively.
The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences has moved its annual telecast back two months to April 25, 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources say the academy hopes theatres would be open again in the spring, thus allowing for more movies to compete in the annual celebration of the year's best films.
But even if movie theatres stay closed, by holding the Oscars later in spring, organizers are now focusing to make sure the event continues as before, live. That may still create some questions as to exactly how many people are allowed inside the 3,400-seat Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where it traditionally takes place.
It's not clear what safety protocols will be introduced for the ceremony. A Dolby representative declined to comment.
Since the March lockdowns, the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the film industry, with movie theatres closed and production halted. In response, the academy extended the eligibility timeline to Feb. 28, 2021 from Dec. 31, in addition to having films that debut on streaming platforms qualify for submission.
The Emmys ceremony in September was a hybrid event that had some in-person elements with host Jimmy Kimmel and most nominees watching the show from home.
Four televised ceremonies lead up to the Oscars: Golden Globes (Feb. 28), Critics Choice (March 7), SAG (March 14) and BAFTA (April 11).
The Globes, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, said in July its show would air live from The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The HFPA declined to comment for this story.
The SAG Awards from the 165,000-plus members of the SAG-AFTRA union, are typically held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, which seats 6,300. The crucial precursor to the Oscars did not rule out the possibility for a virtual show. “For our show, we're looking at a variety of options,” says a SAG Awards spokesperson. “And like our colleagues at other awards shows, we are working to create an entertaining and safe show for all of our nominees.”
The Critics Choice Awards, traditionally one of the first televised award shows, are open to many different options. “We know the show is happening,” says Joey Berlin, CEO and president of Critics Choice Association. “Taye Diggs will be on stage. There are three possibilities. It's the Emmys, it's like the Critics Choice Awards last year, or it's a hybrid. It doesn't seem likely that on March 7, most of our nominees and eventual winners are going to be happy to gather somewhere.”
Last year's ceremony had almost 2,000 in attendance at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Berlin confirms the venue is on hold, but they are also holding others.
Critics Choice is holding its inaugural Super Awards virtually in January.