Nominees for the 97th Academy Awards gathered Tuesday night at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles for a dinner and the annual class photo. Traditionally taken at the Academy’s official nominees luncheon, the photo was delayed this year due to the Los Angeles wildfires, which disrupted several key dates in the awards season schedule.
The gathering brought together nominees across acting, directing, and technical categories. Seated in the front row were Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Mikey Madison, Zoe Saldaña, and Isabella Rossellini. Behind them sat Denis Villeneuve, Sean Baker, James Mangold, Adrien Brody, Colman Domingo, Timothée Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Guy Pearce, and Ralph Fiennes. The group assembled inside the museum’s David Geffen Theater, where the photo was taken before moving on to dinner.
This season’s schedule saw multiple adjustments following the Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfires. The Academy originally planned its nominees luncheon for February 10, but the fires led to its cancellation.
The timeline for nominations was also adjusted, with voting extended from January 12 to January 17 and the announcement pushed from January 17 to January 23. Despite calls from some industry members to delay the ceremony, the event remains set for March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien as host.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang acknowledged the disruptions earlier in the season. “The Academy has always been a unifying force within the film industry, and we are committed to standing together in the face of hardship,” they said in a statement.
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The evening at the Academy Museum gave nominees a chance to gather before the final stretch of awards season. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu.
