Why Didn’t The Stars Wear Masks At The Oscars?

This year's Oscars have finally happened, capping off an award season like no other. If you've watched the Golden Globes, BAFTAs or Screen Actors Guild Awards in recent months then you'll have noticed that the coronavirus pandemic has affected the way we give out prizes to our favourite actors and actresses. Speeches have been delivered by Zoom. Gongs have been handed over by people in PPE. And masks have been part and parcel of proceedings. Which is why you might be confused if you watched theAcademy Awards this weekend and noticed that the ceremony looked incredibly normal. You might even be wondering why not everyone was wearing masks.

This year's ceremony took place at Union Station in Los Angeles, California. 170 guests were rotated in and out of the event space, a major change to usual years where the number of attendees is closer to the thousands. The difference between this event and others of the season, however, comes down to how it is being produced. The team behind the Academy Awards has stated that - in terms of logistics - the Oscars will be filmed as if it were a TV show or film, so 'masks won’t be required for those appearing on camera as the award show will be shot like a film', an Academy representative explains. The moment nominees are no longer on camera, then, the masks must go back on. Safety is, naturally, being taken very, very seriously, and The New York Times says that one third of the entire Oscar budget is going on Covid safety this year.

Confused? Think of it like an episode of EastEnders. The soap opera is still filming episodes, with the Sharons and Phils of the world still clomping around Albert Square despite the fact that we're all having to stay home. But social distancing measures are followed - subtly or otherwise - and the moment the director yells cut, the actors must step out of character and go back to following civilian rules.

Despite going to great lengths to allow the show to go on despite the pandemic, the three-strong producer team - Stacey Sher, Jesse Collins and Steven Soderbergh said that there's no point of ignoring what's going on in the world. 'The impact of Covid-19 will be highlighted throughout the show and masks will play a very important role in the story that the ceremony is trying to convey,' they have said.

'If that’s cryptic, it’s meant to be,' Steven added. 'But that topic is very central to the narrative.'

Right, masks on everyone, there are no cameras here...

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