Stephen King has taken to social media to voice his opposition against the Oscars proceeding. The bestselling author, 77, has called for the annual ceremony to be cancelled whilst the wildfires continue to rage in California.
Known for his horror classics such as The Shining, Stephen has confirmed that he will not be voting in the upcoming Oscars this year. The star-studded ceremony is due to take place in March in Los Angeles.
The novelist wrote online at Bluesky: “Not voting in the Oscars this year. IMHO they should cancel them. No glitz with Los Angeles on fire.”
His comments have caused a mixed reaction with fans, with some saying that the Oscars could ‘lift spirits’ and that the ceremony ‘brings in revenue’ for the entertainment industry. Some have commented that the Academy Awards would be a ‘good distraction’ and that the ‘show must go on.’
However, some did agree with King, with one fan saying: “I agree. There’s more important things to immediately consider than an awards show, and I hear donating one’s time and money to such causes is just as rewarding and fulfilling — if not more so — as putting on a show for the world.”
It comes after the Academy deals with mounting pressure whether or not to cancel the 97th Oscars awards ceremony while Southern California continues to deal with the destructive natural disaster.
The Critics Choice Awards was originally due to take place on January 12, but after the Palisades Fire got out of control on January 7, it was pushed back until January 26 out of respect of those who had been impacted by the devastating infernos.
The fire has now claimed 25 lives and spread across several other areas of Los Angeles. The show has now been pushed back to February, with an exact date to be confirmed, Variety reports.
The Oscars nominations have been pushed back by two days until January 19 after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences opted to extend the voting period, because “so many” of its members live where the fires began in the Palisades.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, in a letter regarding voting for the Academy Awards, the organisation said: “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California.
“So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you.’
A host of celebrities have devastatingly lost their homes, including Paris Hilton, Sir Anthony Hopkins’, Billy Crystal, and Mandy Moore.
Following the lose of her Malibu beach home, Paris raised $800,000 for relief efforts in Los Angeles in 72 hours. She is giving $150,000 of the money to GoFundMe’s Wildfire Relief Fund and plans to offer 150 Altadena families with cash assistance towards rebuilding their lives.