Oscars producers promised they “want everyone to feel safe and protected” at the 2026 Academy Awards on Sunday amid reports the FBI was alerted about Iran’s plan to attack California with drones.
During a press conference on Wednesday, days before Hollywood’s biggest night at the Dolby Theater, Oscars executive producers Katie Mullan and Raj Kapoor said the ceremony would beef up security.
“We have support from the FBI and the LAPD, which is a close collaboration,” Kapoor said. “This show should run like clockwork. But we want everyone who comes to this show, who watches it, or even is a fan of the show when they stand outside the barricades, we want everyone to feel safe and protected and welcome, so it’s our job as a production team to make sure that translates.”
Hollywood Reporter She reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for comment, but did not receive a response as of press time.
Although security at the Oscars will be beefed up again this year, security at the celebrity-packed awards show has always been strong in the past as well.
The producers did not comment on the alleged FBI alert directly, but their comments came shortly after reports that the federal agency warned California law enforcement in recent days of the possibility of a retaliatory drone attack by Iran.
“We recently obtained information that as of early February 2026, Iran was allegedly intending to launch a surprise attack using drones from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States, specifically against unspecified targets in California, in the event that the United States launches strikes against Iran,” the warning, which was distributed at the end of February, said. ABC News. “We have no additional information about the timing, method, target, or perpetrators of this alleged attack.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom shared on X that he is also monitoring any potential threats to the Golden State.
“I am in constant coordination with security and intelligence officials, including @Cal_OES, to monitor potential threats to the State of California – including those related to the conflict in the Middle East,” he wrote. “Although we are not aware of any imminent threats at this time, we remain prepared for any emergency in our state,” he added.
Since the US-Iran conflict began at the end of February – military strikes were coordinated by the Trump administration and Israel, targeting Iran’s military infrastructure, nuclear facilities and leadership – there have been persistent concerns that Iran may seek retaliation on US soil as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.
Beatrice Verhoeven contributed to this story.
