The countdown to this year’s Oscars on Sunday, March 15, is in full swing as final preparations are being meticulously executed.
Heightened security measures are being implemented for the Academy Awards, spurred by concerns over potential retaliatory actions from Iran targeting California.
At the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, workers were observed meticulously preparing the iconic red carpet for the grand night.
Among the team, one individual focused on ensuring the backdrop sparkled, ready for the stars to strike a pose as they make their entrance.
Meanwhile, additional crew members were spotted assembling the backdrop, while another photograph captured a replica of the Oscar statue taking its place on the carpet.
In another scene, a man carefully rolled out the red carpet as his colleagues set up a camera on the rooftop, ensuring every moment is captured perfectly.
Oscars preparations are well and truly underway ahead of this year’s ceremony on Sunday March 15
Ahead of the ceremony, workers were seen putting the finishing touches on the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles
Officials have stressed they do not have direct information about a threat, they are taking precautions ahead of Sunday’s Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The LAPD confirmed that around 1,000 private security officers will be on duty.
According to Entertainment Weekly, uniformed officers, surveillance cameras, and drones will be deployed, along with the activation of special units, such as bomb-sniffing dogs and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.
Oscars producers Katy Mullan and Raj Kapoor announced the increase in protections on Wednesday.
‘Every year we monitor what’s going on in the world,’ Kapoor said at a press conference, according to People.
‘We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it’s a close collaboration. This show has to run like clockwork.
‘But we want everybody that is coming to this show, that is witnessing the show, that is even a fan of the show when they’re standing outside the barricades, we want everybody to feel safe and protected and welcome, so it’s our job as a producing team to make sure that that translates.’
On Wednesday, it was reported that the FBI had alerted California law enforcement to potential Iranian drone strikes on the West Coast in retaliation for the US war against the Islamic Republic.
‘Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States Homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the US conducted strikes against Iran,’ the alert obtained by ABC News said.
Some workers were seen putting the backdrop in place
Another image showed a replica of the Oscar statue being placed on the carpet
Security measures are being ramped up for this year’s Academy Awards amid reports that Iran could be planning retaliatory strikes on California
Officials have stressed they do not have direct information about a threat, they are taking precautions ahead of Sunday’s Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood
‘We have no additional information on the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack,’ the FBI update continued.
The alert surfaced as the Trump administration continued its sustained offensive against Iran.
This move follows a pattern of escalation in the Middle East, where the regime in Tehran has used drone warfare as a primary tool for retaliation.
One Battle After Another, Hamnet and Sinners are among the favorite films to win big at this year’s Oscars, which will be hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien.
Jessie Buckley is tipped to win an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Hamnet.
The actress, 36, has so far picked up all the awards she was nominated for this season, including a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award.
Buckley is up against Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value) and Emma Stone (Bugonia).
Hamnet is nominated for a total of eight awards, including the coveted Best Picture accolade and Best Director for Chloe Zhao.
O’Brien, 62, will likely oversee the in-memoriam tribute to his late friend Rob Reiner, which is rumored to feature his When Harry Met Sally actors Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.
The beloved filmmaker and wife Michele Reiner were stabbed to death, at age 78 and 70, in the bedroom of their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion on December 14 – hours after attending a party at the Oscars host’s home.
On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the performers for the musical portion of the ceremony, including Josh Groban, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and KPop Demon Hunters singers Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami.
Hot off the uproar over Timothee Chalamet’s comments, ballerina Misty Copeland was enlisted to dance during the Sinners presentation featuring Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq, Brittany Howard, Shaboozey and more.
Chalamet, an Oscar nominee, triggered backlash after suggesting in a Variety interview that ballet and opera are art forms audiences do not care about.
