This year’s Oscars will take place in front of an in-person audience that will consist only of nominees, their guests and the show’s presenters, according to a Monday email from Academy president David Rubin to the organization’s membership.
The email, which was sent on Monday afternoon, goes on to say that the events surrounding the Oscars — including the Oscar Nominees Luncheon that was scheduled for April 15, Oscar week events from public screenings to private receptions, and the Governors Ball that always follows the Oscar show — will not be held.
“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,” wrote Rubin in the email.
The email did not specify how the show’s two venues, the Dolby Theatre and Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, would be used on the show. But it did specify that attendance at the show would be restricted to “nominees, their guest, and presenters” — with the singular guest implying that each nominee would only be permitted to bring one person.
Normally, tickets are allotted to nominees and presenters, their guests, studios for the nominated films, Academy and ABC guests and press and industry, with Academy members permitted to enter a lottery to buy the remaining seats in the 3,000-seat Dolby.
The email from Rubin:
Dear Fellow Academy Members,
I join you in congratulating all our Oscar nominees. We are now less than two months away from an Oscars show at the iconic Los Angeles landmarks Union Station and Dolby Theatre. A show that will undoubtedly be unique and memorable!
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.
This year, those attending the awards in person will be nominees, their guest, and presenters — with an audience of millions watching and cheering from all around the world. As a result, we will not be able to conduct our annual member ticket lottery.
We also will not hold any in-person events, including nominations screenings, the Oscar Nominees Luncheon and such beloved Oscar-week occasions as the International Feature Film nominee cocktail reception, and public programming for the Short Film, Documentary, Animated Feature, International Feature Film and Makeup and Hairstyling categories. I’m sorry to add that this year’s awards also will not include a post-Oscars Governors Ball celebration, or Oscar Night watch parties in London and New York.
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.
We appreciate your support and understanding, as we all look forward to an exciting show on April 25th.
Warm regards,
David Rubin
Academy President