The Academy Award nominations will be announced on Thursday morning, and following the recent LA wildfires, all eyes have been on the upcoming ceremony and the plan to move forward. But how will they find time for that in a show that historically has often run over schedule? Well, it is time to cut the musical acts.
In a letter sent to Academy members by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang (via Variety), the plans for the upcoming Academy Award ceremony were detailed before the announcements are read on Jan. 23, 2025, at 5:30 a.m. PT. They confirmed the Academy Awards would still be held on Mar. 2, 2025, and that the ceremony "will honor Los Angeles as the city of dreams, showcasing its beauty and resilience, as well as its role as a beacon for filmmakers and creative visionaries for over a century. We will reflect on the recent events while highlighting the strength, creativity, and optimism that defines Los Angeles and our industry." They also confirmed that the Best Original Song nominations will not be performed live at the ceremony and instead will use the time to focus on the songwriters themselves as they "will celebrate their artistry through personal reflections from the teams who bring these songs to life."
The Los Angeles wildfires delayed the voting window and nomination announcement for the Academy Awards by nearly a whole week. While some voices called for the Academy Awards to be skipped this year due to the devastating fires impacting so many people in Los Angeles, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science is going to use the ceremony to spotlight the city of Los Angeles and touch on the recent devastation.
Some of the songs that made the shortlist for the Best Original Song category this year includes "Beyond" from Moana 2, "Out of Oklahoma" from Twisters, "Compress/Repress" from Challengers, and "El Mal" and "Mi Camino" from Emilia Pérez. It is not made explicit that the Best Original Song performances were cut because of the LA wildfires, but the possibility of five big musical numbers being cut opens up at least ten to fifteen minutes of airtime. That time could easily be used to highlight specific aids and resources needed for those impacted by fires, many of whom are working-class professionals that make these movies happen.
Traditions Behind Best Original Song Performances Close
Performances featuring the Best Original Song at the Academy Awards began in 1946 with the 18th Academy Awards. Since then, how many songs are chosen to perform has always been in flux -- from as low as one to all five. This will mark the fourth time in Academy Awards history (well, since the ceremony started featuring musical acts) that no Best Original Song will be performed, with the other years being 1989, 2010, and 2011. In 2021, the year that H.E.R.'s "Fight for You" from Judas and the Black Messiah took home the Best Song prize, performances of the nominees were shown during the ceremony's pre-show.
Related The 10 Best Original Songs Written for Movies, Ranked
When songs are specifically written to accompany motion pictures, they often convey the essence of the stories much more deeply.
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The absence of the Best Original Song performance is likely going to disappoint many, as in recent years it has led to some of the most lively moments of the ceremony -- like Ryan Gosling performing "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie at the 96th Academy Awards, arguably one of the best moments of the entire evening. However, suppose there was something that had to be cut to make sure all the nominees got their spotlight and also spotlight the recent devastation that the Los Angeles wildfires have caused to the community. In that case, it is better to cut performances for the Best Original Songs than cut into someone's speech or leave someone out of the In Memorium segment.
Academy Award nominations will be announced on Jan. 23, 2025. The 97th Academy Awards will be held on Mar. 2, 2025.