The Academy Museum gala, which was set to welcome top talent on Saturday, has canceled its planned red carpet following the recent violence in Israel.
A statement sent to the press on Thursday afternoon said: “The Academy Museum condemns all forms of hatred and cruelty and stands with innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives affected by the ongoing violence. Out of respect for the devastating conflict and loss of life abroad, the Academy Museum has made the decision to cancel the red carpet during the annual fundraising gala on Saturday, October 14.”
The event itself, which this year pays tribute to Meryl Streep, Michael B. Jordan, Oprah Winfrey and Sofia Coppola and is co-chaired by Ava DuVernay, Dr. Eric Esrailian, Halle Berry and Ryan Murphy, will go ahead with a dinner as planned. and awards ceremony in the museum. The red carpet was already set to take place in limited capacity, limited to photos only and no interviews during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. It was also reported that studio executives, who had previously attended the gala, would not be attending this year due to the work stoppage.
The Academy Museum Gala is the Museum’s annual fundraiser, raising vital funds to support Museum exhibitions, educational initiatives and public programming, including displays, K-12 programs and access initiatives serving the general public. The four awards presented at this year’s Gala reflect the museum’s ongoing mission to advance the understanding, celebration and preservation of film and to contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around film. The evening is presented by Rolex.
