Conan O’Brien says Oscars are being planned sensitively after wildfires

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Host of the Oscars Conan O’Brien says he still can’t live in his house because of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles and that the organizers of the show “want to be sensitive to what happened” to the residents.

“Everyone I know was affected,” O’Brien told The Associated Press on Friday. “I am away from home. Luckily, my house…the fire came very close but my house survived. But we won’t be going back for a long time. And I’m the lucky one. I mean, I know so many people who lost their homes and I was just ridiculously lucky. So we want to make sure that this show reflects what’s going on and that we’re highlighting the right people in the right way.

Thousands of Angelenos saw their homes destroyed in wildfires that ravaged the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods this month. Many of those whose homes survived cannot yet return home because of smoke or other damage.

O’Brien was chosen last year to host the 97th Academy Awards, which will take place March 2 in Los Angeles. The fires twice delayed the announcement of nominations to the academy, which took place on Thursday; “Emilia Pérez” emerged as the main candidate.

The fires upended Hollywood’s awards season and turned it into a fundraising campaign. Some question whether the Oscars should be canceled, but organizers say they will transform the series in a way that “unites us as a global film community and recognizes those who fought so courageously against the wildfires.”

“We want to be sensitive to the moment and we want to be sensitive to what happened,” O’Brien said Friday. “It’s a major concern and we talk about it a lot.”

“The Oscars are still, I think, five weeks away. And we want to make sure that we deal with all of that and put on the best show for March 2nd. Not the best show we thought of tonight. Not the best show on March 3, the best show on March 2 that reflects what people are feeling at that moment.

O’Brien, the former “Tonight Show” host, spoke at the premiere of his latest film, “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You,” which also stars Rose Byrne.