CinemaStephen King calls for Oscars to be cancelled: ‘Lackluster with Los Angeles on fire’

Stephen King called for the cancellation of the 97th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 2, because of the serious crisis facing Southern California with the wildfires. In publication in Blueskythe author wrote:

I won’t vote for the Oscars this year. In my opinion, they should cancel them. Lackluster with Los Angeles on fire.

The fires, which started in Pacific Palisades, have now spread to Malibu and Hollywood Hills, leaving at least 25 people dead and more than 100,000 people evacuated. Joe BidenPresident of the United States, declared a state of major disaster, allowing federal resources to be mobilized to help with relief and reconstruction operations. During a visit to Los Angeles, Biden met with affected residents and rescue workers, and promised continued support.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences postponed the announcement of the Oscar nominees, previously scheduled for January 21st, to the 23rd, and extended the voting deadline until this Friday, January 17th. Despite this, the Academy’s CEO, Bill Kramerconfirmed that the ceremony remains on the calendar: “We are committed to hosting the Oscars while supporting the affected community.”

Other industry figures also spoke out. The actress Jean Smart suggested that TV stations allocate part of the revenue from awards events to help victims and firefighters. Productions like Fallout (Prime Video) were paused, while the Critics Choice Awards were postponed until January 26th.

In addition to causing mass evacuations, the fires also destroyed properties of celebrities such as paris hilton, Milo Ventimiglia and Billy Crystal. According to authorities, 44 arrests were made, including cases of arson and looting in evacuated areas.