The Oscars red carpet opened in Hollywood as celebrities, nominees and presenters began arriving for the ceremony that will be hosted by Conan O’Brien. The arrivals took place against the backdrop of a reported downturn in Los Angeles film and TV production, which industry group FilmLA says hit its lowest level in 2025 since the pandemic. Security along Hollywood Boulevard was noticeably stepped up, and representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers arrived carrying the envelopes that contain the winners. For many in the city the ceremony is a glossy reminder of an industry that is simultaneously celebrated and in economic strain.
Key takeaways
- Stars and industry figures are arriving ahead of the main show hosted by Conan O’Brien, which begins 16:00 PDT (23:00 GMT).
- FilmLA reports that film and TV production in Los Angeles in 2025 fell to its lowest level since the pandemic, contributing to local unemployment in production-adjacent businesses.
- All 10 Best Picture nominees were filmed entirely or mostly outside Los Angeles, though some had post-production work in the city.
- PricewaterhouseCoopers — the accounting firm that manages Oscar ballots — arrived on the red carpet with the sealed paperwork that lists winners.
- High-profile arrivals included Chase Infiniti, Joel Edgerton, Renate Reinsve, Domee Shi, Rose Byrne, Kieran Culkin and hosting duties by Conan O’Brien.
- Pre-show coverage began around 12:30 PDT (19:30 GMT) and the evening will present 23 awards across roughly a 3.5-hour runtime.
Background
Los Angeles long served as the nucleus of American filmmaking because of its climate, locations and the large studio footprint of the major companies. That concentration has loosened over the past decade as production has migrated to other U.S. states and international locations for tax, labor and logistical reasons. Industry monitoring group FilmLA has documented the trend and reported that 2025 marked the lowest level of film and television production in the city since pandemic-era declines.
The production shift has tangible local consequences: union and non-union workers face periods of unemployment, and secondary businesses — from prop suppliers to restaurants and costume shops — report diminished demand. California and local authorities have introduced tax incentives aimed at luring shoots back, but those measures compete with aggressive incentive programs elsewhere and with broader decisions by studios about global supply chains. The Oscars remain a major cultural and economic moment for the industry, even as the city that hosts the show experiences a downturn.
Main event
The red carpet officially opened in the early evening and began drawing a steady flow of celebrities and industry figures. Conan O’Brien arrived with his wife, Liza Powel O’Brien, and is set to host the ceremony later in the night. Several leading actors and filmmakers appeared early: Joel Edgerton, star of Train Dreams; Renate Reinsve, nominated for Best Actress for Sentimental Value; and Rose Byrne, a Best Actress nominee for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.
Fashion moments punctuated arrivals. Chase Infiniti, noted for bold red-carpet looks, appeared in a lavender custom Louis Vuitton, and other high-profile attendees included Alicia Silverstone, Bella Thorne, Josh Groban and ballet star Misty Copeland. The casting director Cassandra Kulukundis — nominated in the Oscars’ new casting category for One Battle After Another — walked the carpet and described the evening as an unprecedented moment for her 30-year career in casting.
Security presence along Hollywood Boulevard was stronger than in many recent years, with a visible concentration of law enforcement vehicles and officers on adjacent streets. Reporters noted the tighter security in the context of heightened geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers arrived carrying the sealed envelopes that list winners, a ritual that signals the awards are imminent.
The pre-show coverage, which began around 12:30 PDT (19:30 GMT), is expected to run several hours before the main ceremony, with the program structured so that technical and craft awards tend to be presented earlier and marquee categories appear later in the night. Musical numbers and special presentations are scheduled to intersperse award segments throughout the broadcast.
Analysis & implications
The contrast between the Oscars’ glamour and Hollywood’s production downturn highlights how cultural prominence does not necessarily translate into local economic health. Red carpet spectacle concentrates global attention on a single evening, yet many of the projects being celebrated were made outside Los Angeles, reflecting long-term shifts in shooting locations driven by tax incentives, studio decisions and international co-productions. That geographic diffusion reduces the economic multiplier that once flowed to LA neighborhoods dependent on film shoots.
For local crew and small businesses, the decline in on-location production means fewer workdays and more volatility in income. Policy responses such as enhanced state tax credits are an attempt to restore competitiveness, but their effectiveness depends on matching or exceeding incentives offered elsewhere and addressing labor, permitting and infrastructure frictions. If studios continue to find predictable and cost-effective environments beyond LA, the city may face a sustained reduction in production-related employment.
The Oscars itself may also be adapting to an industry that is less centrally produced: nominees, creators and performers increasingly come from global filmmaking centers, and that diversity can boost the ceremony’s cultural relevance even as it exposes local economic gaps. For the Academy and stakeholders, the challenge will be balancing global artistic recognition with advocacy for the domestic labor and businesses that underpin the production ecosystem.
Comparison & data
| Year | Los Angeles film & TV production (relative) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Pre-pandemic baseline (higher production) |
| 2020–2021 | Pandemic-era sharp decline |
| 2025 | Lowest level since the pandemic (FilmLA) |
The table summarizes the broad trend reported by FilmLA: a high-water mark before 2020, a pandemic-induced fall, and a 2025 level described by the group as the lowest since that downturn. FilmLA data show location and volume shifts rather than a single numeric cause, and industry participants point to a combination of tax, labor and cost factors when explaining relocation decisions.
Reactions & quotes
Performers, industry figures and creatives conveyed a mix of excitement about the ceremony and concern for the industry’s local health. On the red carpet, the musician and rapper Shaboozey, who will perform with the Sinners cast, expressed enthusiasm about taking the stage.
“It’s honestly a dream come true,”
Shaboozey, performer
Shortly after, Shaboozey added that the live number aims to capture the film’s energy and could surprise viewers. His remarks were framed as personal excitement about a career milestone and not as commentary on wider industry trends.
Cassandra Kulukundis, nominated in the Academy’s new casting category, reflected on how recognition for casting represents a shift in industry attention.
“Cinderella is at the ball,”
Cassandra Kulukundis, casting director
She described three decades of work suddenly receiving public interest and said she planned to be present and applauding regardless of the outcome, underscoring the personal significance of the nomination.
At a prior Oscars luncheon, singer Ejae — associated with the soundtrack of KPop Demon Hunters — spoke about the cultural impact of the film’s music worldwide and how seeing diverse children emulate its characters had been emotional for her.
“I cried,”
Ejae, singer (KPop Demon Hunters)
Her comment was offered in the context of representation and fan response, highlighting how international successes can resonate beyond box-office metrics.
Unconfirmed
- Attribution of the increased security level directly to the US–Israel war with Iran was reported by correspondents on scene but has not been publicly confirmed by a single law-enforcement causation statement.
- Reports that every out-of-town production will permanently avoid Los Angeles are speculative; relocation decisions vary project by project and can reverse if incentives or conditions change.
- Claims about the precise economic loss to secondary businesses vary by source and have not been uniformly reconciled across citywide accounting yet.
Bottom line
The Oscars red carpet remains a high-profile cultural event that draws global attention to films and talent, yet the arrivals tonight arrive amid a measurable downturn in local production. That contrast highlights a broader industry realignment in which the symbolic center of cinema and the practical centers of production are increasingly divergent.
For Los Angeles, the immediate concerns are economic and policy-oriented: reversing production decline would require competitive incentives, streamlined permitting and a stable labor environment. For viewers and the industry at large, the awards season underlines both Hollywood’s continuing cultural pull and the practical realities reshaping where and how films get made.
Sources
- BBC — Live Oscars coverage (media: live reporting)
- FilmLA (industry group: Los Angeles production data)
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (accounting firm: official ballot custodian)