It definitely is an honor just to be nominated, as Oscar nominees and guests can qualify as essential workers in order to attend this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
The Academy announced the news in a letter to nominees on Tuesday, which was obtained by TheWrap. In it, the Academy said nominees can qualify for the essential work purpose waiver, and that anyone traveling into Los Angeles County must quarantine for 10 days before the live show and other Academy-organized activities.
Nominees are not allowed to interact with people outside their household and must still self-quarantine when not doing their essential work. Nominees and guests must also have a minimum of two COVID-19 PCR tests performed by Academy vendors and three tests in the week leading up to the show itself.
“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 center, rehearsals, and Academy-organized activities during the lead up to the Oscars production, including, of course, the award show,” the letter reads. “The organizers of the Oscars are implementing a required quarantine to capture the risk of each person attending the event.”
This follows the news that the producers of this year’s Oscars are committed to doing the show without Zoom, if possible. The producers have also said they want to film the ceremony like a movie, including shooting in 24 frames per second, as though it’s on a live film set, and rotating winners in and out of courtyards. They have also planned to set up European hubs with live satellite feeds to accommodate international nominees unable to make the trip to Los Angeles.
The letter also includes information for individuals to determine their specific restrictions, as well as a chart outlining the specific dates attendees must arrive by in order to meet quarantine requirements.
The 93rd Oscars will air live on April 25 on ABC from both Union Station in downtown L.A. and the Dolby Theatre.
Variety first reported the news.