Photo Credit: Stephen King
Prolific author Stephen King thinks the Oscars should be cancelled this year in the wake of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
Stephen King is the latest celebrity to suggest the film Academy should cancel the Oscars this year amid the devastation from the Los Angeles wildfires. Previously, Hacks star Jean Smart suggested the same thing, saying the Academy should donate the revenue they would have gathered to the relief efforts. Now the horror author is advocating for the same.
“Not voting for the Oscars this year,” wrote King on Bluesky, the social media platform he joined after recently leaving the former Twitter. “IMHO they should cancel them. No glitz with Los Angeles on fire.”
But the Academy has no intention of doing so. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed yesterday the 2025 Oscars are set to go on as planned on March 2. Most likely, the show going on would encourage donations to raise funds for fire relief and rebuilding efforts, which would garner more support than cancelling the event altogether.
“The prevailing sentiment within the Academy’s leadership is that the show should go on — in a dignified manner that would help to raise funds for and celebrate fire relief efforts,” wrote The Hollywood Reporter.
Both King and Smart’s posts sparked some backlash, with many agreeing that “America needs a good distraction” from the negativity in the world. That’s what show business is for, others echoed. “The [awards show] workers had months, YEARS without pay due to COVID, then to union negotiations,” wrote one user. “And now the fires. You’re wrong in this one. Support the industry.”
Due to the Los Angeles wildfires, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced an extension to the Oscar nomination voting window, which began last week. While it would have ended on Sunday evening, the voting ran until 5 PM PT on Tuesday, January 14. Likewise, the Oscar nominations unveiling has been pushed back from Friday, January 17, to Sunday, January 19.
