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Oscar nominees and guests can attend ceremony as “essential workers”

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Oscar nominees and their guests will be permitted to attend the 2021 awards ceremony in person using an essential worker waiver.

  • READ MORE: Oscars 2021 nominations – see the full list

The 93rd Academy Awards, which is due to be broadcast on April 25 from Union Station, LA and the Dolby Theatre, will allow attendance provided nominees and guests complete the necessary documentation, quarantining and testing ahead of the event.

Variety has seen a letter from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which organises the Oscars, outlining the measures.

“Those involved in the Oscars production, like nominees and their guest, qualify for the essential work purpose waiver, and therefore are permitted to travel to and from the testing centre, rehearsals, and Academy-organised activities during the lead up to the Oscars production, including, of course, the award show,” part of the letter reads.

oscars
The Oscars CREDIT: Getty

The idea is to treat the awards ceremony like a movie production, with essential worker status following the various protocol for film and television shoots during the pandemic.

“Producers have continually maintained that the ceremony is being shot like a movie so implementing essential worker status follows the protocol for film and television shoots during the pandemic.

Variety added that arrival dates to quarantine in time for the Oscars vary depending on an individual’s risk assessment. The dates are April 20 for domestic travellers and low-risk international travellers, and April 17 for high-risk international travellers.

The letter advises: “If you travel into Los Angeles County from outside of California, you need to self-quarantine for 10 days after you arrive and may not interact with anyone during those 10 days except the people in your household, i.e. people with whom you live.

“If you travel into Los Angeles County solely for essential work purposes, you still need to self-quarantine (when not working) for 10 days and may not interact with people other than those necessary to conduct your essential work.”

All nominees and guests must have a minimum of two COVID-19 PCR tests undertaken by the Academy’s vendor and a total of three tests in the week leading up to the ceremony.

Nominees and guests must submit information no later than this Thursday (April 8) with revisions by Monday (April 12).







The news follows the Academy Awards recently relaxing its decision that nominees must attend in-person this year or not at all.

AMPAS ruled that virtual appearances will be allowed after a backlash. Critics said the move would inhibit dozens of overseas actors, crew members and filmmakers amid a pandemic.

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