The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering hosting the 93rd Oscars at a historic train station in Los Angeles next month to ensure that socially distant stars can go without masks.
According to Deadline, sources say the cavernous Union Station, Los Angeles’ main railway station, is an option for the awards ceremony; however, nothing is set in stone.
The sources also said that the station, which has been used for the LA Film Festival and SiriusXM’s ‘Dial-Up the Moment’ campaign, is a favorite of ABC and Academy organizers.
The national historic landmark was built in 1939 and its main terminal is 161,000 square feet. During normal times, when COVID restrictions do not restrict travel, more than 100,000 people walk in its corridors each day.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering hosting the 93rd Academy Awards at the historic Union Station (pictured) in Los Angeles next month to ensure that socially distant stars can go without masks
Sources say the cavernous Union Station (pictured), which is Los Angeles’ main train station, is an option for the awards ceremony; however, nothing is set in stone
The sources also said that the station (photo) is favored by ABC and Academia organizers
The Academy expects to have a crowd and nominees, which means that they cannot organize the event as usual at the Dolby Theater due to COVID-19 restrictions. A little girl is seen climbing the stairs inside Union Station
The Academy hopes to have a crowd and nominees, which means that they cannot organize the event as usual at the Dolby Theater due to the restrictions of COVID-19. Dolby accommodates about 3,300 people.
But at the spacious station, which is believed to be large enough to accommodate the needs of social distance with its imposing main hall with 12-meter high windows, the stars may not have to wear masks during the ceremony, according to the Deadline.
Oscar nominations will be revealed on Monday and the live ceremony will be on April 25.
It is not yet clear how the program will be formatted and whether there will be a presenter.
If organizers decide to use Union Station, they will take a very different approach to Golden Globe, which had nominees and winners appearing in remote feeds.
The Golden Globe ‘Zoom’ was not popular with the public, as its television audience fell more than 60% compared to last year’s figures, according to data from Nielsen.
The large host station can avoid the need for a remote style arrangement.
The station, which was designed by John and Donald Parkinson, who also designed the Los Angeles City Hall, was built at what would cost more than $ 1.2 billion in current dollars, according to the Union Station website.
In January, the Academy postponed the Oscar to April due to the effects of the pandemic on the film industry.
The year marks the fourth time in history that the Oscars (photo: Greta Gerwig embraces Saoirse Ronan on the red carpet during the Oscars in 2020) have been postponed
But in the spacious station (pictured), which is believed to be large enough to accommodate the requirements of social distance, the stars may not have to wear masks during the ceremony, according to Deadline
Oscar nominations will be revealed on Monday and the live ceremony will be on April 25. It is not yet clear how the format of the show will be and whether there will be a presenter. People are seen voting at a polling station in Union Station in November 2020
If the organizers decide to use Union Station (photo), they will take a very different approach to the Golden Globe, which had nominees and winners appearing in remote feeds
Union Station hosted the Los Angeles Film Festival (audience portrayed in 2015)
Union Station also hosted SiriusXM’s ‘Dial-Up the Moment’ campaign in 2019, when John Legend performed
The Academy’s Board of Governors also extended the window of eligibility beyond the calendar year until February 28, 2021, for films, and delayed the opening of the Academy’s Cinema Museum from December until April 30, 2021.
“Our hope, in extending the eligibility period and the award date, is to provide the flexibility that filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for anything beyond anyone’s control,” said Academy President David Rubin and the Dawn Hudson Academy CEO statement at the time.
The film academy has been working on how to deal with the near stoppage of theatrical exhibition and film production and festival business due to the pandemic since mid-March 2020.
With cinemas closed, release dates postponed and major festivals like Cannes canceled, the academy in April made the unprecedented decision to allow films that did not have a theatrical screening to be eligible for the awards – but only for one year.
Other entertainment industry award programs are also evolving. The 74th Tony Awards, originally scheduled for June 7, has been postponed indefinitely.
But the 72nd Emmy Awards is still on September 20. BAFTAs said their annual film awards would take place on April 11.