Oscars organisers say security arrangements for the ceremony are tight following reports of an FBI alert — warning of a possible retaliatory drone attack targeting the US west coast.
The 98th annual film awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Dolby Theatre, with the event broadcast globally in more than 200 territories, with Conan O’Brien, 61, set to host the ceremony, which will air live on ABC and stream on Hulu.
Preparations for the show were under way earlier in the week as the red carpet was rolled out and media gathered ahead of the broadcast.
The security focus follows reports the FBI had warned law enforcement agencies across California of a potential retaliatory drone attack by Iran in response to American military actions, according to an alert reported by ABC News. Officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department declined to comment directly on the memo but confirmed heightened vigilance in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
Raj Kapoor, executive producer of the Oscars, addressed questions about security during a press conference with the creative team behind the awards.
He said: “I feel like on this show, we have one of the best teams in the business in all aspects, and that comes down to our security team.”
Raj added: “So, of course, every year we monitor what’s going on in the world. We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it’s a close collaboration.”
The producer also spoke about the responsibilities involved in ensuring safety for those attending and watching the ceremony.
He said: “This show has to run like clockwork.”
Raj continued: “But we want everybody who is coming to this show, who is witnessing the show, who is even a fan of the show, when they’re standing outside the barricades. We want everybody to feel safe, protected, and welcome.
“It’s our job as a producing team to make sure that that translates, and that really comes down to us with this very tight relationship, and we have a whole other team of support. It’s something that we don’t take lightly and we take a lot of responsibility for.”
According to Variety, sources present during the red carpet rollout said security had been increased but was not overtly visible.
A red-carpet walkthrough of the ceremony involving talent publicists and studio representatives is scheduled to take place ahead of the ceremony.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, with the official red-carpet programme scheduled to begin ahead of the main broadcast.
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Security arrangements for Oscars tightened following warning of possible retaliatory drone attack
