Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Elects Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Their First African-American President

We talk a lot on The Mary Sue about how much of a boy’s club Hollywood is both on the screen and behind it, where female directors and writers tend to get the short end of the stick. It’s the same on the business end of things: Only one major studio has a female head, for example. But sometimes a piece of good news on the subject of gender and Hollywood crosses our path. That was the case today, when the Academy announced they’d elected Cheryl Boone Isaacs as their President.

Writes The Hollywood Reporter:

Boone Isaacs, a marketing executive who has served stints at Paramount and New Line, is the first African-American to head the 86-year-old Academy and only the third woman to serve as president. Actress Bette Davis held the post for just two months in 1941, and screenwriter Fay Kanin served for four years from 1979-83.

Boone Isaacs has served as AMPAS’ “first VP” for the last year; she’s also represented the public relations branch for 21 years and produced last December’s Governor Awards. As the current head of CBI Enterprises, Inc., she’s consulted on films including The Artist, The King’s Speech, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, and Spider-Man 2

The Academy present Boone Isaacs is succeeding is named Hawk Koch. That has absolutely no relevance, but I felt a visceral need to share it with you. Hawk. Koch.

This election doesn’t negate Hollywood’s institutionalized sexism or anything, nor will it likely have much direct impact on the state of things. But it’s cool, blast it all. And sometimes in this dog-eat-dog world you just need to take a break and smile because something neat happened.

(via: Jezebel)

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