Producer Lynette Howell Taylor has been named the new president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board of Governors.
She replaces Janet Yang, who has served as the Academy’s president since 2021. Howell Taylor becomes the fifth woman behind Yang (2021-2025), Fay Kanin (1979-1983), Cheryl Boone Isaacs (2013-2017) and Bette Davis (Davis resigned after two months in 1941) to hold the position.
Howell Taylor is beginning her first term as president during her second term as a governor representing the Producers Branch. She previously served for three years as vice president and chair of the Awards Committee. Lesley Barber and Howard A. Rodman were re-elected as officers. It will be the first officer stint for Jennifer Fox, Simon Kilmurry and Lou Diamond Phillips.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer said, “Lynette has been a vital part of the Academy Board of Governors for many years, most...
She replaces Janet Yang, who has served as the Academy’s president since 2021. Howell Taylor becomes the fifth woman behind Yang (2021-2025), Fay Kanin (1979-1983), Cheryl Boone Isaacs (2013-2017) and Bette Davis (Davis resigned after two months in 1941) to hold the position.
Howell Taylor is beginning her first term as president during her second term as a governor representing the Producers Branch. She previously served for three years as vice president and chair of the Awards Committee. Lesley Barber and Howard A. Rodman were re-elected as officers. It will be the first officer stint for Jennifer Fox, Simon Kilmurry and Lou Diamond Phillips.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer said, “Lynette has been a vital part of the Academy Board of Governors for many years, most...
- 7/31/2025
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Lynette Howell Taylor has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy announced on Thursday.
Howell Taylor was elected by the AMPAS Board of Governors to replace Janet Yang. Academy presidents are permitted to serve four consecutive one-year terms, but the president must be member of the board, and term limits restrict governors to two consecutive three-year terms. Yang has served three years as president but must leave the board this summer because of those term limits.
As incoming president, Howell Taylor will face the same term limits. She began her second consecutive term in 2023 and will have to leave the board next summer, after only one year as president. Of the last seven Academy presidents, only one was able to serve the full four terms.
Other officers elected by the board are Lesley Barber and Howard A. Rodman, who were re-elected to vice president positions,...
Howell Taylor was elected by the AMPAS Board of Governors to replace Janet Yang. Academy presidents are permitted to serve four consecutive one-year terms, but the president must be member of the board, and term limits restrict governors to two consecutive three-year terms. Yang has served three years as president but must leave the board this summer because of those term limits.
As incoming president, Howell Taylor will face the same term limits. She began her second consecutive term in 2023 and will have to leave the board next summer, after only one year as president. Of the last seven Academy presidents, only one was able to serve the full four terms.
Other officers elected by the board are Lesley Barber and Howard A. Rodman, who were re-elected to vice president positions,...
- 7/31/2025
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Oscar nominee Kate Hudson will be receiving the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation’s highest honor, the 2025 Pioneer of the Year Award on Oct. 8th at The Beverly Hilton.
The Pioneer of the Year Award is awarded to those respected members in the motion picture industry whose leadership, service to the community, and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional.
“Kate Hudson’s influence extends beyond her outstanding contributions to the motion picture business. Her commitment to philanthropy and social causes inspires audiences everywhere to be active in their communities and support each other in times of need,” said Lisa Bunnell, President of Distribution at Focus Features and President, Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation.
“Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation is proud to celebrate Kate’s achievements and recognize her with the 2025 Pioneer of the Year Award,” Bunnell added.
All proceeds raised at the event benefit Wrmppf’s Pioneers Assistance Fund,...
The Pioneer of the Year Award is awarded to those respected members in the motion picture industry whose leadership, service to the community, and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional.
“Kate Hudson’s influence extends beyond her outstanding contributions to the motion picture business. Her commitment to philanthropy and social causes inspires audiences everywhere to be active in their communities and support each other in times of need,” said Lisa Bunnell, President of Distribution at Focus Features and President, Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation.
“Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation is proud to celebrate Kate’s achievements and recognize her with the 2025 Pioneer of the Year Award,” Bunnell added.
All proceeds raised at the event benefit Wrmppf’s Pioneers Assistance Fund,...
- 6/25/2025
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Saudi Arabian director Haifaa al-Mansour, indie producer Effie T. Brown and Universal Pictures VP creative technologies and Academy Science & Technology Council Chair Annie Chang will be joining the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 55-seat board of governors as governors-at-large next month, the Academy announced on Monday.
The trio were appointed by outgoing president Janet Yang — who is herself, along with Devon Franklin and Rodrigo García, one of the three current governors-at-large who are about to finish their second consecutive three-year term, and therefore are mandated by Academy rules to step away from the board for at least two years — and were then confirmed by the full board to three-year terms.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Haifaa, Effie and Annie to the Academy’s board of governors,” Yang said in a statement. “Their wealth of experiences, perspectives and dedication will be vital to our ongoing global and industry outreach efforts.
The trio were appointed by outgoing president Janet Yang — who is herself, along with Devon Franklin and Rodrigo García, one of the three current governors-at-large who are about to finish their second consecutive three-year term, and therefore are mandated by Academy rules to step away from the board for at least two years — and were then confirmed by the full board to three-year terms.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Haifaa, Effie and Annie to the Academy’s board of governors,” Yang said in a statement. “Their wealth of experiences, perspectives and dedication will be vital to our ongoing global and industry outreach efforts.
- 6/23/2025
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fan-favorite actor and longtime Hollywood union rep Peter Kwong tragically passes away at 73 years of age.
Per Deadline, Kwong passed away on the night of Tuesday, May 27, in his sleep. An accomplished martial artist and outspoken proponent of the various communities of which he was a part, Kwong's passing comes as heartbreaking piece of news for fans, friends, and coworkers across the globe.
Perhaps best known for his role as Rain, one of the Three Storms from John Carpenter's 1986 cult classic Big Trouble in Little China, Kwong made a name for himself in minor yet key roles throughout the '80s. These include his role as Tommy Tong in 1986's other underrated martial arts epic - The Golden Child. Kwong's career continued all the way up until recent years, with roles in films including The Presidio, I'll Do Anything, Paper Dragons, and Gleaming the Cube. Kwong also made dozens...
Per Deadline, Kwong passed away on the night of Tuesday, May 27, in his sleep. An accomplished martial artist and outspoken proponent of the various communities of which he was a part, Kwong's passing comes as heartbreaking piece of news for fans, friends, and coworkers across the globe.
Perhaps best known for his role as Rain, one of the Three Storms from John Carpenter's 1986 cult classic Big Trouble in Little China, Kwong made a name for himself in minor yet key roles throughout the '80s. These include his role as Tommy Tong in 1986's other underrated martial arts epic - The Golden Child. Kwong's career continued all the way up until recent years, with roles in films including The Presidio, I'll Do Anything, Paper Dragons, and Gleaming the Cube. Kwong also made dozens...
- 5/29/2025
- by John Dodge
- CBR
Peter Kwong, a martial artist and actor who played one of the Three Storms in Big Trouble in Little China and a henchman in The Golden Child during a prolific acting career and was active in actors union politics and the movie and TV academy leadership, has died. He was 73.
His reps told Deadline that Kwong died overnight Tuesday in his sleep but did not provide other details.
Born on April 9, 1952, Kwong began his screen career in the mid-1970s with guest shots on such TV series as Wonder Woman and Black Sheep Squadron and into the ’80s with Cagney & Lacey, Bret Maverick, The Greatest American Hero, Little House on the Prairie, Dynasty, The A-Team, Miami Vice, 227, St. Elsewhere, Matt Houston and others.
He also had bit parts in features but would land perhaps his most famous role by mid-decade.
Kwong was cast as Rain, one of the Three Storms,...
His reps told Deadline that Kwong died overnight Tuesday in his sleep but did not provide other details.
Born on April 9, 1952, Kwong began his screen career in the mid-1970s with guest shots on such TV series as Wonder Woman and Black Sheep Squadron and into the ’80s with Cagney & Lacey, Bret Maverick, The Greatest American Hero, Little House on the Prairie, Dynasty, The A-Team, Miami Vice, 227, St. Elsewhere, Matt Houston and others.
He also had bit parts in features but would land perhaps his most famous role by mid-decade.
Kwong was cast as Rain, one of the Three Storms,...
- 5/28/2025
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Marvin Levy, who spent five-plus decades handling public relations for Steven Spielberg and his films en route to becoming the only publicist to receive an Oscar, died Monday, an Amblin representative announced. He was 96.
Levy worked for MGM in New York and for Columbia Pictures in Hollywood, where he began his relationship with Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). The soft-spoken executive became a “Spielberg Whisperer,” offering counsel to the filmmaker.
In introducing Levy at the Governors Awards in November 2018, Tom Hanks noted that the publicist also advised Spielberg on films including E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), best picture winner Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Lincoln (2012).
“Now, all those movies are pretty damn good, but I don’t think any of us in this room would have bothered seeing them without the efforts of Marvin Levy,” a cheeky Hanks said before the publicist came to the stage to accept his Oscar.
Levy worked for MGM in New York and for Columbia Pictures in Hollywood, where he began his relationship with Spielberg on Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). The soft-spoken executive became a “Spielberg Whisperer,” offering counsel to the filmmaker.
In introducing Levy at the Governors Awards in November 2018, Tom Hanks noted that the publicist also advised Spielberg on films including E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), best picture winner Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Lincoln (2012).
“Now, all those movies are pretty damn good, but I don’t think any of us in this room would have bothered seeing them without the efforts of Marvin Levy,” a cheeky Hanks said before the publicist came to the stage to accept his Oscar.
- 4/9/2025
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This is clearly not your parents' Motion Picture Academy. Anora won Best Picture at the Oscars on Sunday, one of five awards claimed by the indie film from director Sean Baker. It's an unconventional Oscar champ to say the least, but unconventional seems to be the new standard for voters, who have made a series of daring choices over the last decade. It appears as though the Academy's efforts to expand and diversify its ranks are paying off. While diversity in business and government faces a vicious backlash, Anora shows how Dei has transformed the Oscars.
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Anora is a frank, sexually explicit comedy about a Brooklyn sex worker (Best Actress winner Mikey Madison) who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn) much to the disapproval of his family. In addition to Best Picture and Best Actress it claimed Best Director,...
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Anora is a frank, sexually explicit comedy about a Brooklyn sex worker (Best Actress winner Mikey Madison) who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn) much to the disapproval of his family. In addition to Best Picture and Best Actress it claimed Best Director,...
- 3/3/2025
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
At one time, the Oscars were April Reign’s Super Bowl. She watched the annual nominations and awards ceremony religiously for decades. So, in January 2015, she tuned in as usual to see Chris Pine and Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the first Black female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, announce that year’s nominees. And after noticing that not one of the 20 acting nominations included a person of color, she took to Twitter to give the Academy Awards a piece of her mind: “#OscarsSoWhite they asked to touch my hair.
- 3/2/2025
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
The most Oscar-nominated film this season is Emilia Pérez, which is entirely in Spanish. It landed 13 noms — smashing the record for a non-English-language film (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Roma had 10 each) and just one shy of the record for any film — including best picture. And it’s not the only non-English-language film up for the top Oscar; so, too, is the Portuguese-language I’m Still Here. Until recently, such a scenario would have been unimaginable. Then came Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite. This is the inside story of how that off-the-wall Korean film made history at the Oscars five years ago.
Hello, World
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, founded in 1927, was originally called the International Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. But for most of its history, it wasn’t very worldly — the vast majority of its members were based in L.A., New York or London,...
Hello, World
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, founded in 1927, was originally called the International Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. But for most of its history, it wasn’t very worldly — the vast majority of its members were based in L.A., New York or London,...
- 2/27/2025
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Look, we all love a beautiful, inspiring Oscar moment. But we're also only human, and we also like a little bit of a trainwreck now and again. Luckily, the Academy Awards provideth. A lot. Like, there have been a shocking amount of flubs, considering what a tightly-run production an Oscars telecast has to be. For every sweet and charming moment celebrating the magic of movies and the ephemeral quality of celebrity, we are blessed with at least a few total cringe-fests.
Whether it's the Academy making a misguided attempt to swing for the fences and falling flat on their faces or actors and presenters making choices that will haunt them well beyond the grave, awkward moments are never in short supply. If the Academy Awards were to ever go fully meme-happy and create a Best Gaffe category, these would undeniably be the nominees for the Most Awkward Oscars Moments.
Read...
Whether it's the Academy making a misguided attempt to swing for the fences and falling flat on their faces or actors and presenters making choices that will haunt them well beyond the grave, awkward moments are never in short supply. If the Academy Awards were to ever go fully meme-happy and create a Best Gaffe category, these would undeniably be the nominees for the Most Awkward Oscars Moments.
Read...
- 2/18/2025
- by Audrey Fox
- Slash Film
Greta Gerwig Grateful Even for Those Who Call Her “Completely Bananas” in Pioneer of the Year Speech
Greta Gerwig expressed her gratitude for being a “show person” while accepting the prize as the 2024 Pioneer of the Year.
Gerwig was the recipient of this year’s honor from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The ceremony took place Wednesday at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills to celebrate Gerwig’s accomplishments that include writing and directing Lady Bird, Little Women and Barbie, all of which were nominated for the best picture Oscar.
“I’m mostly used to going to the Beverly Hilton to lose, so this is a nice change of pace,” Gerwig quipped at the start of her acceptance speech about the venue that has served for decades as home of the Golden Globe Awards.
She went on to thank the organization for supporting the moviegoing experience. “The work that you do for caring for this community that I’m part of, it’s just extraordinary,...
Gerwig was the recipient of this year’s honor from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The ceremony took place Wednesday at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills to celebrate Gerwig’s accomplishments that include writing and directing Lady Bird, Little Women and Barbie, all of which were nominated for the best picture Oscar.
“I’m mostly used to going to the Beverly Hilton to lose, so this is a nice change of pace,” Gerwig quipped at the start of her acceptance speech about the venue that has served for decades as home of the Golden Globe Awards.
She went on to thank the organization for supporting the moviegoing experience. “The work that you do for caring for this community that I’m part of, it’s just extraordinary,...
- 9/26/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Janet Yang, the veteran producer who has served as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since August 2022, has been re-elected to that position by the Academy’s board of governors, the organization announced on Thursday.
Also elected to vice president positions were Lesley Barber (chair, Membership Committee); DeVon Franklin (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee); Donna Gigliotti (chair, Finance Committee), who will also serve as treasurer; Lynette Howell Taylor (chair, Awards Committee); and Howard A. Rodman (chair, Governance Committee), who will also serve as secretary.
Franklin, Howell Taylor and Rodman were re-elected; Gigliotti previously served as an officer but not last term; and this will be the first officer stint for Barber.
“I am thrilled to have Janet return as Academy president for a third term to continue our great work of the past two years,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement. “I also...
Also elected to vice president positions were Lesley Barber (chair, Membership Committee); DeVon Franklin (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee); Donna Gigliotti (chair, Finance Committee), who will also serve as treasurer; Lynette Howell Taylor (chair, Awards Committee); and Howard A. Rodman (chair, Governance Committee), who will also serve as secretary.
Franklin, Howell Taylor and Rodman were re-elected; Gigliotti previously served as an officer but not last term; and this will be the first officer stint for Barber.
“I am thrilled to have Janet return as Academy president for a third term to continue our great work of the past two years,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement. “I also...
- 8/1/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Greta Gerwig has been tapped to receive this year’s Pioneer of the Year Award. She’s only the second female director to receive the prestigious honor after Elizabeth Banks.
She’ll be feted at the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation’s annual dinner on Sept. 25 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
All three of the films Gerwig has written and directed solo — Barbie, Lady Bird and Little Women — landed Oscar nominations for best picture, while Gerwig herself received Oscar nominations for best director and best original screenplay for Lady Bird, best adapted screenplay for Little Women and best adapted screenplay for Barbie.
Last year, Barbie, which Gerwig co-wrote with Noah Baumbach for Warner Bros., became the first film from a solo female director to gross more than $1 billion at the global box office.
A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year award recognizes members...
She’ll be feted at the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation’s annual dinner on Sept. 25 at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
All three of the films Gerwig has written and directed solo — Barbie, Lady Bird and Little Women — landed Oscar nominations for best picture, while Gerwig herself received Oscar nominations for best director and best original screenplay for Lady Bird, best adapted screenplay for Little Women and best adapted screenplay for Barbie.
Last year, Barbie, which Gerwig co-wrote with Noah Baumbach for Warner Bros., became the first film from a solo female director to gross more than $1 billion at the global box office.
A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year award recognizes members...
- 7/16/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Barbie filmmaker is 2024’s Pioneer of the Year recipient. Greta Gerwig will be bestowed with the 75th honor at the September 25th ceremony at the Beverly Hilton by the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation (Wrmppf).
The Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose leadership, service to the community, and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. All proceeds raised at the event benefit Wrmppf’s Pioneers Assistance Fund which provides financial assistance and supportive counseling to individuals in the motion picture distribution and exhibition community in times of need.
“Greta Gerwig is a dynamic filmmaker with extraordinary vision who entertains and inspires audiences everywhere,” said Jeff Goldstein, President of Warner Bros. Domestic Distribution and Co-Chairman, Pioneer of the Year Dinner.
“The Will Rogers Pioneers Assistance Fund is proud to celebrate Greta’s achievements and present her with the 2024 Pioneer of the Year Award,...
The Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose leadership, service to the community, and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. All proceeds raised at the event benefit Wrmppf’s Pioneers Assistance Fund which provides financial assistance and supportive counseling to individuals in the motion picture distribution and exhibition community in times of need.
“Greta Gerwig is a dynamic filmmaker with extraordinary vision who entertains and inspires audiences everywhere,” said Jeff Goldstein, President of Warner Bros. Domestic Distribution and Co-Chairman, Pioneer of the Year Dinner.
“The Will Rogers Pioneers Assistance Fund is proud to celebrate Greta’s achievements and present her with the 2024 Pioneer of the Year Award,...
- 7/15/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
John Bailey, the cinematographer on Ordinary People, Groundhog Day, As Good as It Gets and dozens of other notable films who endured two “stressful” terms as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, died Friday. He was 81.
Bailey died in Los Angeles, his wife, Oscar-nominated film editor Carol Littleton (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), announced.
”It is with deep sadness I share with you that my best friend and husband, John Bailey, passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning,” she said in a statement. “During John’s illness, we reminisced how we met 60 years ago and were married for 51 of those years. We shared a wonderful life of adventure in film and made many long-lasting friendships along the way. John will forever live in my heart.”
They worked on more than a dozen features together.
The Southern California-raised Bailey served as the director of photography for...
Bailey died in Los Angeles, his wife, Oscar-nominated film editor Carol Littleton (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), announced.
”It is with deep sadness I share with you that my best friend and husband, John Bailey, passed away peacefully in his sleep early this morning,” she said in a statement. “During John’s illness, we reminisced how we met 60 years ago and were married for 51 of those years. We shared a wonderful life of adventure in film and made many long-lasting friendships along the way. John will forever live in my heart.”
They worked on more than a dozen features together.
The Southern California-raised Bailey served as the director of photography for...
- 11/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The movie industry gave the late Erik Lomis — the bold and shrewd studio distribution chief who released hundreds of movies during his career — a fitting sendoff Wednesday night.
Lomis, who died suddenly in March at age 64, posthumously received the 2023 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Award during an emotional and touching ceremony at The Beverly Hilton on Oct. 4. And, in a surprise for those attending, Philadelphia Eagles’ radio announcer Merrill Reese narrated a tribute reel shown before team Eagles mascot Swoop presented the Pioneer Award to Lomis’ widow, Patricia Laucella (the Philly born and raised Lomis was a diehard Eagles fan).
Patricia Laucella
“Your instinct and inspiration never led you astray. I’m honored to have worked so closely with you,” said Creed series star and Creed III director Michael B. Jordan via video (the MGM threequel was the last film Lomis released in theaters before his death).
The long list of filmmakers,...
Lomis, who died suddenly in March at age 64, posthumously received the 2023 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Award during an emotional and touching ceremony at The Beverly Hilton on Oct. 4. And, in a surprise for those attending, Philadelphia Eagles’ radio announcer Merrill Reese narrated a tribute reel shown before team Eagles mascot Swoop presented the Pioneer Award to Lomis’ widow, Patricia Laucella (the Philly born and raised Lomis was a diehard Eagles fan).
Patricia Laucella
“Your instinct and inspiration never led you astray. I’m honored to have worked so closely with you,” said Creed series star and Creed III director Michael B. Jordan via video (the MGM threequel was the last film Lomis released in theaters before his death).
The long list of filmmakers,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation (Wrmppf) is honoring one of their biggest champs this year with a posthumous recognition: late MGM and United Artists Distribution Boss Erik Lomis. The honor will be recognized at the October 4 dinner at The Beverly Hilton.
Lomis, who was a force in getting movie theaters back open as Covid quelled, and a proponent of the theatrical window with the release of the 007 title No Time to Die, passed away suddenly at 64 on March 22. Lomis was also known for his relentless and passionate fundraising for Will Rogers.
Lomis hosted last year’s Pioneer dinner which honored James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose corporate leadership, service to the community and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. All proceeds...
Lomis, who was a force in getting movie theaters back open as Covid quelled, and a proponent of the theatrical window with the release of the 007 title No Time to Die, passed away suddenly at 64 on March 22. Lomis was also known for his relentless and passionate fundraising for Will Rogers.
Lomis hosted last year’s Pioneer dinner which honored James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose corporate leadership, service to the community and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. All proceeds...
- 8/4/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday that its Board of Governors has re-elected producer Janet Yang as president of the organization. Members elected new people to fill the majority of officer positions as well, with only Lynette Howell Taylor and Kim Taylor-Coleman returning to their posts.
CEO Bill Kramer, who started his role around the same time as Yang last year, said in a statement, “I am thrilled to welcome this year’s board officers. Under Janet’s esteemed leadership, these dedicated governors will guide the Academy’s ongoing efforts to elevate the work of our global membership and film community, highlight our industry’s rich history, foster meaningful dialogue, and continue to build equity and inclusion in every aspect of our organization.”
Yang will now be in her second term as president, and her fifth year as a Governor-at-Large, having made history as the first Asian-American,...
CEO Bill Kramer, who started his role around the same time as Yang last year, said in a statement, “I am thrilled to welcome this year’s board officers. Under Janet’s esteemed leadership, these dedicated governors will guide the Academy’s ongoing efforts to elevate the work of our global membership and film community, highlight our industry’s rich history, foster meaningful dialogue, and continue to build equity and inclusion in every aspect of our organization.”
Yang will now be in her second term as president, and her fifth year as a Governor-at-Large, having made history as the first Asian-American,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Janet Yang, the film producer who a year ago was elected the 36th president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was re-elected to that post on Tuesday during the first meeting of the Academy’s recently reconstituted board of governors, the Academy has announced.
Yang, 67, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt. She is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped for the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, she has served on the board since 2019 as a governor-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were added to the...
Yang, 67, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt. She is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped for the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, she has served on the board since 2019 as a governor-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were added to the...
- 8/1/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Another year, another eight months of dogged campaigning, and another Oscars season is over. Last night’s 95th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood unfolded in a mostly predictable fashion, with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominating the affair and walking off with seven prizes. And that included Jamie Lee Curtis’s last-minute win over Angela Bassett in a moment now viral for just how palpably disappointed Bassett’s reaction was: she hardly smiled and did not clap or stand for her fellow nominee.
Yet there was plenty to celebrate, what with historic, record-shattering wins for Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan and a huge comeback moment for Brendan Fraser, triumphing for “The Whale” over Austin Butler who underwent an “ego death” to play The King. There was also much to celebrate with the fact that the ceremony avoided any kind of Slap-happy moment, eschewing controversy altogether.
Yet there was plenty to celebrate, what with historic, record-shattering wins for Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan and a huge comeback moment for Brendan Fraser, triumphing for “The Whale” over Austin Butler who underwent an “ego death” to play The King. There was also much to celebrate with the fact that the ceremony avoided any kind of Slap-happy moment, eschewing controversy altogether.
- 3/13/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
If you've ever watched the red carpet at the Academy Awards there's a phrase you've probably heard over and over again, and for quite a few decades: "It's an honor just to be nominated."
And to be fair, it most certainly is. Although the Oscars were invented to bust unions, not reward artistic quality, at their best it's a gesture of support for a filmmaker from their peers. To be singled out by the other hard-working artisans in your branch as worthy of awards consideration as an actor, director, writer, cinematographer, sound designer et al is a great big feather in one's cap.
But it's a feather that can, and has been, plucked out. It's uncommon but the Academy Awards have vetoed quite a few nominations in the past — three times in the 2010s alone — in situations that stirred up controversy or, in some of the more technical or niche categories,...
And to be fair, it most certainly is. Although the Oscars were invented to bust unions, not reward artistic quality, at their best it's a gesture of support for a filmmaker from their peers. To be singled out by the other hard-working artisans in your branch as worthy of awards consideration as an actor, director, writer, cinematographer, sound designer et al is a great big feather in one's cap.
But it's a feather that can, and has been, plucked out. It's uncommon but the Academy Awards have vetoed quite a few nominations in the past — three times in the 2010s alone — in situations that stirred up controversy or, in some of the more technical or niche categories,...
- 2/1/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed did an admirable job of pronouncing names and film titles at Tuesday morning’s Academy Award nominations telecast, but there’s usually one moment in the annual list reading that gets people talking.
This year, that would be “My Year of Dicks,” the Sara Gunnarsdottir short that nabbed a best animated short nod from the film academy. Immediately after announcing the title, Ahmed giggled. It was a moment of levity reminiscent of the infamous 2014 gaffe when former Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs read best cinematography nominee Dick Pope’s name as “Dick Poop.”
But “My Year of Dicks” is supposed to make one cringe, as director Gunnarsdottir weaves a beautiful and dreamlike tale of a young girl on a mission to lose her virginity in the early ‘90s. Told in five chapters, the film is adapted from the memoir “Notes to Boys: And Other Things...
This year, that would be “My Year of Dicks,” the Sara Gunnarsdottir short that nabbed a best animated short nod from the film academy. Immediately after announcing the title, Ahmed giggled. It was a moment of levity reminiscent of the infamous 2014 gaffe when former Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs read best cinematography nominee Dick Pope’s name as “Dick Poop.”
But “My Year of Dicks” is supposed to make one cringe, as director Gunnarsdottir weaves a beautiful and dreamlike tale of a young girl on a mission to lose her virginity in the early ‘90s. Told in five chapters, the film is adapted from the memoir “Notes to Boys: And Other Things...
- 1/24/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The Hong Kong actor gave an in-conversastion talk at Red Sea International Film Festival.
Update: Mike Tyson will appear in Rush Hour 4, Jackie Chan confirmed at the closing ceremony of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.
Original story:
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.
Update: Mike Tyson will appear in Rush Hour 4, Jackie Chan confirmed at the closing ceremony of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.
Original story:
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.
- 12/8/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Hong Kong actor gave an in-conversastion talk at Red Sea International Film Festival.
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.”
“I will see the director tonight and we will be talking about it.”
Chan did not confirm who the director will be.
A fourth Rush Hour...
Jackie Chan revealed he is meeting with the director of Rush Hour 4 in Saudi Arabia this evening, to discuss the script for the latest instalment of the action comedy franchise.
Speaking at an in-conversation event at Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) in Saudi Arabia, Chan said, “We’re talking about part four right now! But the script isn’t right.”
“I will see the director tonight and we will be talking about it.”
Chan did not confirm who the director will be.
A fourth Rush Hour...
- 12/8/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Hollywood veterans Cheryl Boone Isaacs and Peter Murrieta are optimistic that “so much is possible” in the future as Hollywood and the entertainment industry at large expands to make room for more diverse stories and perspectives across the board.
Murrieta and Boone Isaacs spoke Thursday at an event to herald the recent launch of Arizona State University’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School, a program that launched earlier this year in downtown Los Angeles in the famed former Los Angeles Herald Examiner building at Broadway and 11th. Boone Isaacs is founding director of the Poitier school while Murrieta serves as deputy director and professor of practice. The two joined several other faculty members to discuss how Hollywood can grow its business and audience base by making strides toward inclusion and representation.
Boone Isaacs and Murrieta emphasized the importance of film education being hands-on enough to set students up to...
Murrieta and Boone Isaacs spoke Thursday at an event to herald the recent launch of Arizona State University’s Sidney Poitier New American Film School, a program that launched earlier this year in downtown Los Angeles in the famed former Los Angeles Herald Examiner building at Broadway and 11th. Boone Isaacs is founding director of the Poitier school while Murrieta serves as deputy director and professor of practice. The two joined several other faculty members to discuss how Hollywood can grow its business and audience base by making strides toward inclusion and representation.
Boone Isaacs and Murrieta emphasized the importance of film education being hands-on enough to set students up to...
- 10/8/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
There was plenty of bonding Wednesday night as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. It is the first time since the pandemic began that the gala celebration was able to resume.
For nearly three decades, Broccoli and Wilson, her half brother, have controlled the blockbuster James Bond franchise. The most recent installment, No Time to Die, was one of the most successful films of the pandemic, earning north of 774 million globally. The pic marked Craig’s fifth and final turn as the iconic spy. In 2012, his film Skyfall became the first title in the series to cross 1 billion at the global box office.
Craig made a surprise appearance at the dinner, where he and Michelle Yeoh — who starred in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007 — were...
There was plenty of bonding Wednesday night as producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. It is the first time since the pandemic began that the gala celebration was able to resume.
For nearly three decades, Broccoli and Wilson, her half brother, have controlled the blockbuster James Bond franchise. The most recent installment, No Time to Die, was one of the most successful films of the pandemic, earning north of 774 million globally. The pic marked Craig’s fifth and final turn as the iconic spy. In 2012, his film Skyfall became the first title in the series to cross 1 billion at the global box office.
Craig made a surprise appearance at the dinner, where he and Michelle Yeoh — who starred in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as 007 — were...
- 9/22/2022
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
On Aug. 2, hours after Janet Yang was elected as the new president of the Film Academy — becoming the first Asian person to hold the position — Universal hosted the premiere for Jo Koy’s Filipino American family comedy, Easter Sunday, where insiders cheered the historic news.
“I’m so proud of her,” producer Dan Lin told THR of his friend, who was honored at the Academy Museum with a pillar dedication in June. “It is historic on so many levels, but I think she’s a fantastic choice given all of the turmoil that the Academy’s gone through. She’s the leader we need.”
Yang, whose producing credits include The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is known as a godmother to Asian Americans working in Hollywood. Easter Sunday writer and EP Ken Cheng reported that he experienced it firsthand.
On Aug. 2, hours after Janet Yang was elected as the new president of the Film Academy — becoming the first Asian person to hold the position — Universal hosted the premiere for Jo Koy’s Filipino American family comedy, Easter Sunday, where insiders cheered the historic news.
“I’m so proud of her,” producer Dan Lin told THR of his friend, who was honored at the Academy Museum with a pillar dedication in June. “It is historic on so many levels, but I think she’s a fantastic choice given all of the turmoil that the Academy’s gone through. She’s the leader we need.”
Yang, whose producing credits include The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is known as a godmother to Asian Americans working in Hollywood. Easter Sunday writer and EP Ken Cheng reported that he experienced it firsthand.
- 8/11/2022
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a tumultuous reign under David Rubin, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has voted for a new president. The winner of that election is producer Janet Yang. The 66-year-old New York native becomes only the second person of color to hold the position at the Academy (after Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and the fourth woman.
Continue reading Janet Yang Elected New Academy President at The Playlist.
Continue reading Janet Yang Elected New Academy President at The Playlist.
- 8/2/2022
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
At their Tuesday board meeting, as expected the Academy Board of Governors elected producer Janet Yang president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Yang begins her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large, a position for which she was nominated by the sitting Academy President David Rubin and elected by the Board of Governors.
Donna Gigliotti, Larry Karaszewski, David Linde, Isis Mussenden, and Wynn Thomas were re-elected as Board of Governor officers. It will be the first officer stint for Teri E. Dorman, 2020 Oscar show co-producer Lynette Howell Taylor, and Kim Taylor-Coleman.
Yang’s producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since...
Donna Gigliotti, Larry Karaszewski, David Linde, Isis Mussenden, and Wynn Thomas were re-elected as Board of Governor officers. It will be the first officer stint for Teri E. Dorman, 2020 Oscar show co-producer Lynette Howell Taylor, and Kim Taylor-Coleman.
Yang’s producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since...
- 8/2/2022
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Hollywood producer Janet Yang has been named the new president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board of Governors. Yang, who is of Chinese descent, is the first Asian person ever to hold the position and the fourth woman behind Fay Kanin (1979-1983), Cheryl Boone Isaacs (2013-2017) and Bette Davis (Davis resigned after two months in 1941).
Yang is beginning her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large. The Board also voted on the officers, electing:
Teri E. Dorman, Vice President Donna Gigliotti, Vice President/Secretary Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President Larry Karaszewski, Vice President David Linde, Vice President/Treasurer Isis Mussenden, Vice President Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President Wynn P. Thomas, Vice President
“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy,” said Bill Kramer, Academy CEO. “I am thrilled that...
Yang is beginning her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large. The Board also voted on the officers, electing:
Teri E. Dorman, Vice President Donna Gigliotti, Vice President/Secretary Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President Larry Karaszewski, Vice President David Linde, Vice President/Treasurer Isis Mussenden, Vice President Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President Wynn P. Thomas, Vice President
“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy,” said Bill Kramer, Academy CEO. “I am thrilled that...
- 8/2/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Janet Yang has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy’s Board of Governors announced on Tuesday.
She was elected at a virtual meeting of the 54-member board, which was selecting a successor to casting director David Rubin. While presidents can serve four consecutive one-year terms, Rubin had to leave the board because of term limits after serving three terms.
Yang is a member of the Academy’s Producers Branch and for the past year had served as a vice president of the board and chair of the Membership Committee.
Yang is a producer of “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and the recent Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” Born in New York City, she will be the Academy’s first president of Asian descent, and the fourth woman after Bette Davis (who resigned after two months in...
She was elected at a virtual meeting of the 54-member board, which was selecting a successor to casting director David Rubin. While presidents can serve four consecutive one-year terms, Rubin had to leave the board because of term limits after serving three terms.
Yang is a member of the Academy’s Producers Branch and for the past year had served as a vice president of the board and chair of the Membership Committee.
Yang is a producer of “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt” and the recent Oscar-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” Born in New York City, she will be the Academy’s first president of Asian descent, and the fourth woman after Bette Davis (who resigned after two months in...
- 8/2/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Janet Yang, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, has been elected the 36th president in the 95-year history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The 66-year-old, who broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped by the Academy’s board to hold the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, Yang defeated DeVon Franklin, a member of the executives branch since 2016. Both candidates have served on the Academy’s board of governors since 2019 as governors-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were...
Janet Yang, the Queens-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, has been elected the 36th president in the 95-year history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The 66-year-old, who broke into showbiz by connecting key players in the Chinese and Hollywood film industries to make possible films like Empire of the Sun before becoming a producer of films including The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt, is just the fourth female (after Bette Davis, Fay Kanin and Cheryl Boone Isaacs) and second person of color (after Boone Isaacs) ever tapped by the Academy’s board to hold the board’s top job.
A member of the producers branch since 2002, Yang defeated DeVon Franklin, a member of the executives branch since 2016. Both candidates have served on the Academy’s board of governors since 2019 as governors-at-large. Three seats for governors-at-large were...
- 8/2/2022
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has shed its non-profit status and agreed to sell the Golden Globes to acting CEO Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and turn the embattled organization into a private venture, the HFPA announced Thursday.
The sale’s proposal from Eldridge Industries LLC, which is founded and chaired by the billionaire Boehly, creates a private entity to manage its Golden Globes assets, according to the announcement, while its charitable and philanthropic programs will be preserved in a separate non-profit entity. The plan also shifts all rights for the Golden Globes intellectual property to the company and empowers it to oversee the professionalization and modernization of the Golden Globe Awards.
TheWrap last November reported exclusively of Boehly’s intention to make the Globes a for-profit organization, though the plan was denied at the time.
Terms of the vote were not disclosed, but a source told TheWrap that 76 members...
The sale’s proposal from Eldridge Industries LLC, which is founded and chaired by the billionaire Boehly, creates a private entity to manage its Golden Globes assets, according to the announcement, while its charitable and philanthropic programs will be preserved in a separate non-profit entity. The plan also shifts all rights for the Golden Globes intellectual property to the company and empowers it to oversee the professionalization and modernization of the Golden Globe Awards.
TheWrap last November reported exclusively of Boehly’s intention to make the Globes a for-profit organization, though the plan was denied at the time.
Terms of the vote were not disclosed, but a source told TheWrap that 76 members...
- 7/28/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
With new Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer in place, the next big question mark for the organization that hosts the Oscars revolves around who will replace outgoing president David Rubin, whose term ends this summer. On Aug. 2, the AMPAS Board of Governors will select its 38th president.
Whoever takes the No. 2 slot will face intense pressure to navigate agendas dictated by bylaws, decades of tradition and an ever-changing media landscape. Two front-runners have emerged to lead the organization’s nearly 10,000 members, and both are producers: Janet Yang, an Ivy League graduate whose film credits include “The Joy Luck Club” (1993), and DeVon Franklin, a former Sony Pictures Entertainment executive who is president and CEO of multimedia company Franklin Entertainment.
Yang, who is of Chinese descent, and Franklin, who is Black, would represent a new-looking Academy leadership that’s been overwhelmingly male and white over its history.
Whoever takes the No. 2 slot will face intense pressure to navigate agendas dictated by bylaws, decades of tradition and an ever-changing media landscape. Two front-runners have emerged to lead the organization’s nearly 10,000 members, and both are producers: Janet Yang, an Ivy League graduate whose film credits include “The Joy Luck Club” (1993), and DeVon Franklin, a former Sony Pictures Entertainment executive who is president and CEO of multimedia company Franklin Entertainment.
Yang, who is of Chinese descent, and Franklin, who is Black, would represent a new-looking Academy leadership that’s been overwhelmingly male and white over its history.
- 7/20/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Former Film Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and her Pacific Coast Entertainment are offering Hollywood Foreign Press Association members an annual salary of 120,000 as part of its proposal to acquire the Golden Globes show while keeping the embattled organization itself as a nonprofit.
According to a copy of a term sheet sent to members and the HFPA’s board of directors that was obtained by TheWrap, Isaacs’ Pacific Coast Entertainment proposes sharing 20 of its Globes-related revenue with the HFPA and supporting individual HFPA members with a six-figure salary for a maximum of five years, plus 100,000 in a one-time Covid relief grant as well as health care, 401(k) and other benefits. Pce also proposes creating a member’s endowment with 5 million annual contributions that would help support the freelance-heavy pool of journalists.
Pacific Coast promises to use its resources to “deepen and accelerate the transformation” of the embattled group, which has...
According to a copy of a term sheet sent to members and the HFPA’s board of directors that was obtained by TheWrap, Isaacs’ Pacific Coast Entertainment proposes sharing 20 of its Globes-related revenue with the HFPA and supporting individual HFPA members with a six-figure salary for a maximum of five years, plus 100,000 in a one-time Covid relief grant as well as health care, 401(k) and other benefits. Pce also proposes creating a member’s endowment with 5 million annual contributions that would help support the freelance-heavy pool of journalists.
Pacific Coast promises to use its resources to “deepen and accelerate the transformation” of the embattled group, which has...
- 5/17/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Friday moved closer to shedding its nonprofit status, announcing that its leadership had negotiated a term sheet to sell the Golden Globes to acting CEO Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and turn the embattled organization into a for-profit venture that he would run.
The financial terms of the Eldridge proposal were not disclosed, and the organization noted that at least one other entity has expressed interest in making an alternate proposal for the HFPA’s future — a reference to a proposed partnership with former AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs and her Pacific Coast Entertainment to improve the “tarnished” image of the HFPA.
The HFPA on Friday also announced that Boehly’s proposal and any alternatives would be reviewed by a special committee make up of producer Sharlette Hambrick, veteran nonprofit executive Jeff Harris and C-level communications marketing executive Joanna Massey — who were all named...
The financial terms of the Eldridge proposal were not disclosed, and the organization noted that at least one other entity has expressed interest in making an alternate proposal for the HFPA’s future — a reference to a proposed partnership with former AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs and her Pacific Coast Entertainment to improve the “tarnished” image of the HFPA.
The HFPA on Friday also announced that Boehly’s proposal and any alternatives would be reviewed by a special committee make up of producer Sharlette Hambrick, veteran nonprofit executive Jeff Harris and C-level communications marketing executive Joanna Massey — who were all named...
- 5/13/2022
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs this week reached out directly to members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) offering a plan to partner with her Pacific Coast Entertainment (Pce) to offer a “fresh start” to the group behind the embattled Golden Globes.
Isaacs, who steered the movie academy through the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during her 2013-17 tenure, also criticized the “disappointing” lack of response from HFPA president Helen Hoehne and Todd Boehly, the billionaire investor who serves as interim CEO of HFPA. Boehly also owns MRC, the company that produces the Globes telecast and shares in the 60 million licensing fee from NBC for the show. In the letter Isaacs said her group had already sent two letters to the members, Hoehne and Boehly.
Update: in an explosive letter sent Friday to the members, Isaacs’ partner Yusef Jackson slammed the lack of formal process...
Isaacs, who steered the movie academy through the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during her 2013-17 tenure, also criticized the “disappointing” lack of response from HFPA president Helen Hoehne and Todd Boehly, the billionaire investor who serves as interim CEO of HFPA. Boehly also owns MRC, the company that produces the Globes telecast and shares in the 60 million licensing fee from NBC for the show. In the letter Isaacs said her group had already sent two letters to the members, Hoehne and Boehly.
Update: in an explosive letter sent Friday to the members, Isaacs’ partner Yusef Jackson slammed the lack of formal process...
- 4/22/2022
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
James Bond franchise architects Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have been set to receive the 2022 Pioneer of the Year Award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. The honor will be bestowed September 21 during a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton.
The Pioneer of the Year Award honors leaders in the movie industry whose career achievements and commitment to philanthropy is exemplary. The award, handed out for more than 70 years, is part of a gala to support the foundation’s Pioneers Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to individuals in need in the distribution and exhibition community.
Wilson and Broccoli have produced nine 007 films together: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and last year’s No Time to Die which marked the final Bond appearance by Daniel Craig.
“We are thrilled that Michael and Barbara will be receiving this well-deserved honor,...
The Pioneer of the Year Award honors leaders in the movie industry whose career achievements and commitment to philanthropy is exemplary. The award, handed out for more than 70 years, is part of a gala to support the foundation’s Pioneers Assistance Fund, which provides financial assistance to individuals in need in the distribution and exhibition community.
Wilson and Broccoli have produced nine 007 films together: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002), Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and last year’s No Time to Die which marked the final Bond appearance by Daniel Craig.
“We are thrilled that Michael and Barbara will be receiving this well-deserved honor,...
- 4/21/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The repercussions of Best Actor winner Will Smith attacking presenter Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars are still being felt by Hollywood, especially Black stars.
Emmy nominee David Oyelowo published a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter detailing the ripple effect of the now-infamous Oscars slap. Oyelowo has been a bystander to a number of dramatic episodes at the Oscars, from “Selma” being snubbed for Best Actor and Best Director igniting #OscarsSoWhite in 2015 to his viral reaction to “La La Land” being mistakenly announced Best Picture.
“But like most of us, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come,” Oyelowo wrote of the 94th annual Oscars. “As a Black man in the public eye, you are constantly aware of the fact that your very existence is political. You are consistently in a state of either being used as an example to perpetuate or debunk a stereotype. Those stereotypes are tied to criminality,...
Emmy nominee David Oyelowo published a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter detailing the ripple effect of the now-infamous Oscars slap. Oyelowo has been a bystander to a number of dramatic episodes at the Oscars, from “Selma” being snubbed for Best Actor and Best Director igniting #OscarsSoWhite in 2015 to his viral reaction to “La La Land” being mistakenly announced Best Picture.
“But like most of us, nothing could have prepared me for what was to come,” Oyelowo wrote of the 94th annual Oscars. “As a Black man in the public eye, you are constantly aware of the fact that your very existence is political. You are consistently in a state of either being used as an example to perpetuate or debunk a stereotype. Those stereotypes are tied to criminality,...
- 4/7/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The first Oscars of the weekend were handed out last night in Hollywood, and you can bet no one is going to argue about the worthiness of these four new recipients of the industry’s highest award.
The Governors Awards, always a great evening, came back after last year’s pandemic-related cancellation, and Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann were awarded Honorary Oscars for their illustrious careers, while Danny Glover received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. As Academy President David Rubin said in his opening remarks, these selections were essentially no-brainers. In fact, he said it was the shortest Board Of Governors meeting ever convened with the purpose of choosing those who pass the exacting test of the Board in order to receive these Oscars. As he noted when their names were proposed there was unanimous support in the room.
What wasn’t as easy, in light of...
The Governors Awards, always a great evening, came back after last year’s pandemic-related cancellation, and Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullmann were awarded Honorary Oscars for their illustrious careers, while Danny Glover received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. As Academy President David Rubin said in his opening remarks, these selections were essentially no-brainers. In fact, he said it was the shortest Board Of Governors meeting ever convened with the purpose of choosing those who pass the exacting test of the Board in order to receive these Oscars. As he noted when their names were proposed there was unanimous support in the room.
What wasn’t as easy, in light of...
- 3/26/2022
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
We lost Sidney Poitier, and his impact is immeasurable. He was a titan in the industry who broke barriers and Oscar records. He became the first Black man to be nominated for any acting Oscar for “The Defiant Ones” (1958). At 37, he was the first to win any competitive Oscar for “Lilies of the Field” (1963), which paved the way for Black excellence to be considered attainable by Hollywood-accolade measures.
At the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony, Poitier was given an honorary award the same night Denzel Washington won best actor (“Training Day”) and Halle Berry took home best actress (“Monster’s Ball”). Poitier is so often not acknowledged when people reflect on that night; they fail to realize how many industry events and celebrity crises had to occur for the evening to be possible. Between Russell Crowe throwing a phone and the timing of Poitier’s honor announcement, it was the perfect alignment that led to this milestone.
At the 2002 Academy Awards ceremony, Poitier was given an honorary award the same night Denzel Washington won best actor (“Training Day”) and Halle Berry took home best actress (“Monster’s Ball”). Poitier is so often not acknowledged when people reflect on that night; they fail to realize how many industry events and celebrity crises had to occur for the evening to be possible. Between Russell Crowe throwing a phone and the timing of Poitier’s honor announcement, it was the perfect alignment that led to this milestone.
- 1/14/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Late great Italian actor Vittorio Gassman, who is best known to U.S. audiences as the star of classics such as “Big Deal on Madonna Street” and “Il Sorpasso” (“The Easy Life”), will be celebrated by the Los Angeles-Italia Film Fashion and Art Festival, which will run March 20-26 at Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theater.
The annual pre-Oscars event comprising movies and music and celebrating showbiz ties between Italy and Hollywood, now at its 17th edition, will pay tribute to the centennial of Gassman’s birth with a mini-retro honoring the memory of the iconic thesp who, among other accolades, won the best actor prize at Cannes in 1975 for his performance as a blind man in Dino Risi’s ”Profumo di Donna,” later remade in English as ”Scent of a Woman” with Al Pacino.
“We are honored and extremely pleased to pay a well-deserved tribute to an Italian genius whose...
The annual pre-Oscars event comprising movies and music and celebrating showbiz ties between Italy and Hollywood, now at its 17th edition, will pay tribute to the centennial of Gassman’s birth with a mini-retro honoring the memory of the iconic thesp who, among other accolades, won the best actor prize at Cannes in 1975 for his performance as a blind man in Dino Risi’s ”Profumo di Donna,” later remade in English as ”Scent of a Woman” with Al Pacino.
“We are honored and extremely pleased to pay a well-deserved tribute to an Italian genius whose...
- 1/11/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, remembers Oscar winner Sidney Poitier as “a beautiful man, a creative individual, who gave a lot.”
Isaacs, who now serves as the founding director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, talked poignantly and openly with Variety after learning the news of his passing on Friday at the age of 94.
“Mr. Poitier’s light was very bright,” Isaacs says. “He probably wasn’t aware of it, because most people with a lot of light are not because they’re busy being who they are.”
Poitier was the first Black man to be nominated for best actor for his performance in “The Defiant Ones” (1958), later becoming the first to win best actor for “Lilies of the Field” (1963). Recalling the night of his historic win,...
Isaacs, who now serves as the founding director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, talked poignantly and openly with Variety after learning the news of his passing on Friday at the age of 94.
“Mr. Poitier’s light was very bright,” Isaacs says. “He probably wasn’t aware of it, because most people with a lot of light are not because they’re busy being who they are.”
Poitier was the first Black man to be nominated for best actor for his performance in “The Defiant Ones” (1958), later becoming the first to win best actor for “Lilies of the Field” (1963). Recalling the night of his historic win,...
- 1/7/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been named founding director of the newly established Sidney Poitier New American Film School at Arizona State U. Boone Isaacs will be director of the three-campus film school starting Jan. 1. She will lead from the Asu California Center in Los Angeles as well as from Tempe and Mesa.
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood and she fully understands its operating system.” He added that her experience in the industry and in education makes her the perfect person for the job.
Boone Isaacs is a decades-long veteran of the film biz as a marketing and PR maven. She...
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood and she fully understands its operating system.” He added that her experience in the industry and in education makes her the perfect person for the job.
Boone Isaacs is a decades-long veteran of the film biz as a marketing and PR maven. She...
- 11/16/2021
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Veteran marketing and public relations executive and former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been named to serve as Founding Director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School. Boone Isaacs, an adjunct professor at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, will begin as director the new three-campus film school at Asu on January 1. She plans to lead from the Asu California Center in Los Angeles as well as from Tempe and Mesa, where the state-of-the-art 118,000-square foot campus is located.
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood, and she fully understands its operating system,...
“Cheryl Boone Isaacs has built her extraordinary career championing — and exemplifying — two of the primary things the Sidney Poitier New American Film School stands for: inclusion and excellence,” said Steven J. Tepper, dean of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Asu.
“Boone Isaacs is one of the most respected leaders in Hollywood, and she fully understands its operating system,...
- 11/16/2021
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
It happens like clockwork every year on the day that Oscar nominations are announced. The nominees are revealed early in the morning, people parse the list to figure out what it all means, and by the end of the day there’s a controversy brewing about who was snubbed or the lack of diversity or the perceived bias of the voters.
All of that happened again this week after Monday’s nominations, but with one significant difference: The controversy had nothing to do with the Oscar voters. Their choices were respectable enough that the industry quickly moved back to assailing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its awards show, the Golden Globes.
Sure, you could find fault with some of the Oscar omissions — Delroy Lindo, people! — and could wonder why, in a record year for nonwhite acting nominees, only one of the eight Best Picture nominees, “Judas and the Black Messiah,...
All of that happened again this week after Monday’s nominations, but with one significant difference: The controversy had nothing to do with the Oscar voters. Their choices were respectable enough that the industry quickly moved back to assailing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its awards show, the Golden Globes.
Sure, you could find fault with some of the Oscar omissions — Delroy Lindo, people! — and could wonder why, in a record year for nonwhite acting nominees, only one of the eight Best Picture nominees, “Judas and the Black Messiah,...
- 3/19/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Women In Film, Los Angeles (Wif) is expanding its board of directors by six with the election appointments of Niija Kuykendall, Michelle Lee, Monica Levinson, Chris Nee, Shivani Rawat and Ida Ziniti.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
Women In Film, Los Angeles (Wif) is expanding its board of directors by six with the election appointments of Niija Kuykendall, Michelle Lee, Monica Levinson, Chris Nee, Shivani Rawat and Ida Ziniti.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert, whether as an executive, producer, creator, or agent,” said board president Amy Baer, CEO of Gidden Media. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
Baer also saluted outgoing board members Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam, all ...
Women in Film Los Angeles has a half-dozen new board members.
New to the board are Niija Kuykendall, EVP Production at Warner Bros Pictures; Michelle Lee, Director of Domestic Programming at AppleTV+; film producer Monica Levinson; and Ida Ziniti, Co-Head of the Motion Picture Literary Department at CAA.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert — whether as an executive, producer, creator or agent,” Board President and Gidden Media CEO Amy Baer said in making the announcement on International Women’s Day. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
She noted that outgoing board members — Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam — who have completed their terms.
New to the board are Niija Kuykendall, EVP Production at Warner Bros Pictures; Michelle Lee, Director of Domestic Programming at AppleTV+; film producer Monica Levinson; and Ida Ziniti, Co-Head of the Motion Picture Literary Department at CAA.
“Each of these impressive women is uniquely expert — whether as an executive, producer, creator or agent,” Board President and Gidden Media CEO Amy Baer said in making the announcement on International Women’s Day. “Their diverse skill sets will help us to continue championing the advancement of women across all facets of the screen industries.”
She noted that outgoing board members — Stephanie Allain, Orly Adelson, Adriana Alberghetti, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and Keri Putnam — who have completed their terms.
- 3/9/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
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