Veteran film producer Lynette Howell Taylor has been appointed as the new president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. She replaces Janet Yang, taking over the leadership of the organization responsible for the Oscars, as announced by film academy CEO Bill Kramer on Thursday.
Having been an academy member since 2014, Taylor has held several notable roles within the organization, including vice president and chair of the awards committee. As a seasoned film producer, her portfolio includes works like “A Star Is Born” (2018), “Blue Valentine,” and “The Accountant.” She also spearheaded the production of the 92nd Oscars broadcast. Taylor is now the fifth woman to assume leadership of the film academy.
The outgoing president, Yang, was elected to the position in 2022 and served in the role for the maximum of three years.
In a statement, Kramer remarked on Taylor’s crucial contributions to the board of governors, particularly her efforts in revitalizing their awards operations. Additionally, new officers have been elected, with actor Lou Diamond Phillips heading the equity and inclusion committee and producer Jennifer Fox leading the awards committee.
Kramer expressed that this distinguished group of Academy members is poised to further the Academy’s mission, offer global support to its membership, maintain financial health, and honor the global cinematic community’s accomplishments.
After a period of waning viewership, the Oscars have seen a resurgence in recent years. The March broadcast, where “Anora” took home five Oscars, attracted around 19.7 million viewers, showing a slight increase from the previous year’s event dominated by “Oppenheimer.” The organization has revealed that Conan O’Brien will host once more in 2026, and several significant changes have been scheduled, such as introducing a stunt design award starting with films released in 2027 and a casting directors award, effective this year.
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