Oscars' Presidency Taken Over by A Star Is Born Producer, Lynette Howell Taylor
Lynette Howell Taylor, a renowned British film producer, has been elected as the new president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The announcement was made by Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy, on Thursday.
Howell Taylor, who has been a member of the Academy since 2014, has held several high-profile positions within the organisation. She has served as vice president and chair of the awards committee, and has produced the 92nd Oscars broadcast in 2020, for which she was Emmy-nominated.
Howell Taylor's career as a film producer spans over 20 years, and she has been involved in more than 25 films. She gained significant recognition for producing the 2018 film A Star Is Born, which received eight Oscar nominations including a Best Picture nomination for her. Other notable films she has produced include The Accountant, Captain Fantastic, Big Eyes, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine, and Half Nelson.
The Academy, which puts on the Oscars, has seen an upswing in viewership the past few years, after years of declining ratings. The 2023 Oscars, where Anora won five awards, drew 19.7 million viewers, slightly more than the previous year's ceremony.
In addition to her film production career, Howell Taylor has been an active member of the Academy. She has been elected as the 37th president of the Academy in 2025, following Janet Yang who served as the president for three years, having been elected in 2022.
The Academy has also made changes for the future, including the addition of a stunt design award for films released in 2027 and the implementation of a casting directors award this year. Lou Diamond Phillips was elected as the chair of the equity and inclusion committee by the board, while Jennifer Fox was elected to chair the awards committee.
Conan O'Brien has been announced as the host for the 2026 Oscars, marking another exciting chapter for the Academy and the film industry. As Howell Taylor takes on her new role as president, she becomes the fifth woman to lead the film academy, and is poised to make a significant impact on the future of the organisation and the film industry as a whole.
[1] IMDb. (2021). Lynette Howell Taylor. [online] Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1750254/ [Accessed 20 April 2023].
[2] The Hollywood Reporter. (2021). Lynette Howell Taylor. [online] Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lynette-howell-taylor-1149114 [Accessed 20 April 2023].
[3] Variety. (2020). Oscars 2020: Lynette Howell Taylor Produces Show, Earns Emmy Nomination. [online] Available at: https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/oscar-2020-lynette-howell-taylor-producer-emmy-nomination-1203541696/ [Accessed 20 April 2023].
As the new president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Lynette Howell Taylor is set to make a significant impact on the future of cinema and entertainment, following in the footsteps of renowned film producers. Her production credits, which include A Star Is Born, Captain Fantastic, and The Place Beyond the Pines, have earned her recognition among celebrities and industry insiders. IMDb, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety highlight her contributions in the world of movies-and-tv, with herEmmy nomination for producing the 2020 Oscars ceremony as a testament to her success.
