Janet Young
Janet Yang has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization’s board of directors announced Aug. 2, making her the first Asian-American to lead the academy.
“The Joy Luck Club” producer Yang, 66, has become the fourth woman to lead the organization behind the Oscars. Young succeeds outgoing president David Rubin, the veteran casting director who stepped down after three years due to term limits.
Young will be responsible for guiding the Academy through the continued growth of the film industry and stabilizing the Oscars, which have been plagued by scandals and declining ratings in recent years.
The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Yang has served on the academy’s board since 2019, as one of three permanent members who joined in the wake of the (hashtag) OscarsSoWhite scandal to help make the film academy more inclusive.
