Oscars Academy names Bill Kramer as new CEO
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named its new CEO on Tuesday, ending 11 tumultuous years under Dawn Hudson that included the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, a major expansion of the group’s membership and the infamous Will Smith slap in the face.
Hudson first announced his plans to step down last October, shortly after the successful opening of the Academy’s new flagship film museum in Los Angeles. She will be succeeded by Bill Kramer, who oversaw the launch of the museum.
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is proud to name Bill Kramer, current director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Picture Images, as its new executive director.
Full press release: https://t.co/xa4cUra6WK pic.twitter.com/dGs4ctUA8J
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 7, 2022
Bill Kramer is “the ideal choice to lead at this critical time for the organization,” Academy President David Rubin said in a statement.
As Hollywood’s most elite group of filmmakers, which also oversees the Oscars, the Academy has had to navigate multiple controversies in recent years, including accusations of a lack of racial diversity.
In particular, the group was hit with criticism for the dearth of Black Oscar nominees during the #OscarsSoWhite movement, which emerged in 2015.
Hudson oversaw and delivered on a promise to double the number of women and minority members by 2020, significantly expanding the overall membership from about 6,000 to nearly 10,000 in the process.
“She initiated unprecedented efforts to create more space for diverse voices, both within the membership and in our industry,” Rubin said.
Hudson and senior management faced criticism for their apparent lack of reaction after Smith punched comedian Chris Rock onstage during this year’s Oscars.
The Academy has said Smith was asked to leave the Hollywood ballroom shortly after the attack, but that claim has been disputed, including by Smith’s representatives.
Smith, who won the Academy Award for best actor shortly after the altercation, was banned from attending the Oscars for the next decade.
Kramer, who will start as executive director next month, oversaw nearly $400 million in fundraising for the Academy Museum, which was decades in the planning and has become a top priority for the organization’s future.
The Museum: Home to Judy Garland’s Tinseltown Memorabilia ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers to Dracula’s cape — has sold more than 550,000 tickets in nine months, the Academy said.
