Amid the United States’ military conflict in the Middle East and reports of the West Coast being targeted by Iranian drones, safety has become a concern going into the 98th Academy Awards.
At a Wednesday press conference, Oscars EP and showrunner Raj Kapoor assured “we have one of the best teams in the business” and that security will maintain the support of the FBI and local LAPD. According to media reports, security has been ramped up amid the reports of an Iranian threat, as well.
As the red carpet began rolling out and preparations began at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on Wednesday, the production team behind the Academy Awards held its press conference and Kapoor addressed the security concerns.
“We have one of the best teams in the business in all aspects, and that comes back to our security team,” Kapoor said. “So of course, every year we monitor what’s going on in the world. We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it’s a close collaboration.”
Questions of safety at the show swirled after the FBI put out an alert warning about potential drone strikes from Iran in California.
“We recently acquired information that as of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United State Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran,” reads the alert that was shared in late February. “We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.” ABC News released a review of the alert on the same date on Wednesday before the Oscars press conference.
Kapoor assured that the Oscars will move forward in a manner both safe and unobstructed.
“This show has to run like clockwork,” he said. “But we want everybody that is coming to this show, that is witnessing the show, that is even a fan of the show when they’re standing outside the barricades — we want everybody to feel safe and protected and welcome.”
“It’s something that we don’t take lightly, and we take a lot of responsibility for. So we hold it very dear and close to our hearts.”
Earlier on Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said drone threats are “top of mind” following the ABC News report.
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