The Television Academy has announced it will push ahead with this year’s Creative Arts Emmys, turning what’s usually a multi-night ceremony into an “innovative virtual event”—though details clarifying what the event will look like are still scant. Meanwhile, the film Academy is reportedly set to meet Monday morning to discuss whether or not it will (officially) postpone the 2021 Oscars. Both revelations, which arrived Monday and Sunday, respectively, paint a portrait of an award season that remains thoroughly up in the air as various awards bodies try to work around the harsh reality of the pandemic.
The TV Academy announced its plans in a press release, confirming that the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony will be virtual and take place over several nights; there will be no traditional Governors Ball events. The format for the ceremony is “currently in development.” In addition, the TV Academy will donate $1 million to the Actors Fund, which provides relief to actors impacted by COVID-19. Though plans have not yet been announced, it seems likely that the primetime Emmys, which also take place in September, may be forced to take a similar approach, transforming into a virtual event with a philanthropic slant.
“This has been an incredibly challenging time for our industry; and though we are now making plans to get back to work, we know there are many still suffering from the work stoppage caused by the coronavirus,” said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Frank Scherma. “As we strive to do the right thing for our community with these changes to our annual events, the Television Academy is also pleased to support those still in need with a $1 million donation to The Actors Fund COVID-19 Relief Fund.”
As the TV Academy sorts out its plans, the film Academy is working out how to proceed with the 2021 Oscars. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the board of governors is meeting Monday via Zoom to determine whether they will postpone next year’s ceremony. Currently, the show is scheduled for Feb. 28—but that date was set before the pandemic up-ended the industry, forcing theaters around the world to close and shutting down production and post-production work on potential contenders.
The 2021 Oscars could be postponed by as many as eight weeks, THR notes, with the eligibility window for the ceremony getting pushed far beyond Dec. 31, 2020 to account for the films that have been impacted by the pandemic. Per the outlet, the Academy will not be discussing a new format for the show (i.e. making it a virtual ceremony) during this meting. However, they likely will discuss how to handle the Governors Awards, which are usually handed out in November. One potential change? This year’s honorees of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award and its Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award will be announced in September, but presented with their statuettes at the later 2021 telecast.
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