The Academy Awards organisers have backtracked from their initial statement that all attendees must attend the awards in person, will set up "hub" in UK. Photo / Getty Images
The Academy Awards organisers have backtracked from their initial statement that all attendees must attend the awards in person, will set up "hub" in UK. Photo / Getty Images
If the British can't go to the Oscars, the Oscars will come to them.
Organisers of the Academy Awards have announced that this year's ceremony will have a London outpost, allowing British nominees to "attend" without flying to Los Angeles.
The decision is something of a U-turn. Weeks ago, nominees were told that they had to show up in person to the Hollywood event and that appearing via Zoom "will not be an option".
That caused uproar among non-Americans who did not want to fly during the pandemic. Several are filming on location and do not have space in their schedules for the required quarantine period that travelling would entail.
Now there will be two Oscars "hubs" – one in London and one in Paris.
Carey Mulligan is nominated in the lead actress category for her role in Promising Young Woman, she is likely to attend the Awards in the UK. Photo / Supplied
British nominees expected to attend the London show include Carey Mulligan and Emerald Fennell, star and writer-director of Promising Young Woman; Olivia Colman, shortlisted for her supporting role in The Father; and Vanessa Kirby, a lead actress nominee for Pieces of a Woman.
Others who could choose the British version include Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) and Gary Oldman (Mank).
The UK venue has not been confirmed. For those who do make the trip to Los Angeles, producers have given an added incentive: those who fly business or first class, or have been vaccinated, will be allowed a shorter quarantine period.
The main Hollywood event will take place at Union Station in Los Angeles on April 25, and will look very different to the usual ceremony held in an auditorium.
In a Zoom call with nominees, covered by The Hollywood Reporter, producers explained that there will be staggered arrival times and a more boutique feel.
"We've turned it into kind of a cocktail party, essentially," said Steven Soderbergh, the Oscar-winning director of Traffic, who is one of the producers of the event.
"Nominees will be rotated throughout the evening so we don't exceed the limit in the main road," he added, and they should dress up as usual because "there will be red [carpet] stuff on the ground".
Jesse Collins, a fellow producer, said: "This is the pinnacle. This is the biggest live event in the world. And there is an expectation of creative excellence ... and one of the most important parts of that is the communal part of it."
The organisers are also setting up a "state-of-the-art testing facility" for all nominees and crew.
It remains to be seen if the winners will have to wear masks while giving their acceptance speeches. Soderbergh's message to nominees was: "Bring a mask. It's still in play. And as soon as we know more, we will tell you."
The ceremony will look visually impressive, he promised, shot in wide-screen and with an opening that "is going to make your knees buckle".
As for those nominees unable or unwilling to attend in Los Angeles, Paris or London, will there be a Zoom option? "The 'Z' word? Look, let's just say we hope it doesn't come to that," Soderbergh said.
