An unexpected absence. Glenn Close announced she will not be attending the 2023 Oscars after testing positive for COVID-19.
Her diagnosis was confirmed by her spokesperson to the Associated Press hours before the red carpet started on Sunday, March 12. Close, 75, was set to present the Academy Award for Best Picture with Harrison Ford. It was designed to be an Air Force One reunion ahead of the blockbuster film’s 26th anniversary in July.
Glenn Close Stewart Cook/Shutterstock (
Ford will present the award to one of the 10 films nominated for the coveted prize at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. The nominees include All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness and Women Talking.
Though red carpets and awards shows have returned in full force, the coronavirus pandemic still affects the big events. Close’s absence comes two months after many stars missed the Critics’ Choice Awards after testing positive. Jamie Lee Curtis and Colin Farrell were among the stars to miss the January festivities.
“F—K COVID! Sadly, this head cheerleader is not going to be at all the weekend festivities cheering on her friends and colleagues. Life on life’s terms,” the Everything Everywhere All at Once actress, 64, wrote alongside a picture of three tests with positive results at the time. “I’m glad that there are all these home tests available so that I didn’t go to the @americanfilminstitute lunch and spread my germs.”
Curtis is expected to attend the Oscars and walk the red carpet — which isn’t going to be red this year. The 94th annual Academy Awards has a champagne carpet.
Farrell, meanwhile, revealed he has an important guest with him at the show — son Henry, 12. “My youngest fellow will be my plus one. So the two of us are wearing the same tuxedos and we’re looking forward to it,” the Ireland native, 46, told IndieWire earlier this month.
Despite Close’s absence, plenty of stars will be on hard to announce the winners. In addition to Ford, other presenters include Pedro Pascal, Kate Hudson, Halle Berry, Cara Delevingne, Mindy Kaling, Eva Longoria, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Olsen, Florence Pugh, Jennifer Connelly, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan and Zoe Saldaña.
The 95th annual Academy Awards are being hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and will air live on ABC Sunday, March 12, at 8 p.m. ET.