Every year, the Academy Awards offer a golden opportunity for the film industry to bellow a full-throated hooray for Hollywood. But in 2025, that enthusiasm is tempered by the somber reality of a Los Angeles area still reeling from January’s devastating wildfires, which continue to impact artisans and executives at every level of the business.
In the immediate aftermath of the fires, some industry voices called for the Oscars and other awards ceremonies to eschew handing out statues in favor of devoting that airtime to relief efforts. Ultimately, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences determined that the show must go on, with the red carpet rolling out for the 97th Oscars at the Dolby Theater on March 2. But AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer promises that the show—which will air on ABC and stream live on Hulu for the first time—will rise to meet the moment.
“The Oscars are a unifier—we bring the community together and share it with the world,” Kramer tells ADWEEK in an exclusive interview. “There’s a real need for that right now, and there are going to be some really beautiful and powerful moments on the show this year.”
Last month, the Grammy Awards also put the wildfires front and center, finding fundraising success even as it ticked downward in the ratings. Kramer praises that show’s producers for doing a “beautiful job” that helped provide the Oscars with a road map for their own tribute to a wounded city.
“We need to make sure that we’re tying it back into the work of the Academy,” he notes. “Los Angeles is a place of resilience and creation, and we want to bring hope to our community and our audience, and remind them that this is a city where we come together to make movies. You’re going to see a lot of that messaging throughout the night.”
During a press conference, executive producer Raj Kapoor said that—like the Grammys—the Oscars would aid in local fundraising efforts. “There will be a charitable component that people will be able to interact with and are free to donate if they would like to,” he noted.
Here are some of the other moments of Oscar gold you should be looking out for on Sunday night.