Lynette Howell Taylor elected new president of the motion picture academy

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Hollywood’s most exclusive club has a new leader.

On Thursday, it was announced that film producer Lynette Howell Taylor has been chosen as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This makes her the 37th individual to occupy this position since the academy’s inception 98 years ago.

Beginning in 2014, Howell Taylor has been part of the producers branch within our organization. As of now, he is taking over from Janet Yang, who was elected in 2022 and is concluding her three back-to-back one-year terms. Howell Taylor assumes this role alongside CEO Bill Kramer as we navigate a dynamic environment for the Oscars and the overall film industry that is undergoing significant changes.

Since 2014, Howell Taylor has been a distinguished member of the academy. At just 46 years old, he was appointed as president – a position he hasn’t held for decades due to his youth. This British native combines extensive production experience with a lengthy tenure in academy leadership roles.

For the past two decades, I’ve been privileged to contribute to over 25 films, one of which was “A Star Is Born,” which earned me a best picture nomination in 2019. Other notable projects include “Captain Fantastic,” “Blue Valentine,” “The Place Beyond the Pines” and an upcoming release titled “Roofman.” In 2020, I had the honor of co-producing the 92nd Academy Awards alongside Stephanie Allain, which garnered me an Emmy nomination. The event culminated in a historic win for Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.

In the academic sphere, for a span of three years, Howell Taylor held positions as vice president and head of a potent committee responsible for awards, greatly influencing the evolution of the Oscars during a period of significant institutional transformation.

At the Academy’s headquarters in Beverly Hills, a 55-member board convened and chose a group of leaders to serve during the 2025-26 term. Among those elected were Composer Lesley Barber, Producer Jennifer Fox, Documentary Filmmaker Simon Kilmurry, Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, and Screenwriter Howard A. Rodman who will all assume the role of vice presidents. Kilmurry was also appointed as Treasurer, while Rodman will serve as Secretary. Both Barber and Rodman have previously held officer positions; however, Kilmurry, Fox, Phillips, and Rodman are all new to their current roles.

As president, Howell Taylor will be tasked with navigating a time of change and ambiguity not just for the academy but for the entire industry. The academy has been grappling with decreasing viewership for the Oscars – this year’s broadcast had 19.7 million viewers, a slight increase from the previous year but significantly less than the show’s highest ratings in the 1990s. The presidency may be an unpaid, largely symbolic position, but it has become more significant recently due to increased scrutiny of the academy’s choices, particularly following Will Smith’s actions at the 2022 Oscars.

For quite some time now, Lynette has played a crucial role on the Academy Board of Governors, with her most recent achievement being the rejuvenation of our awards system as head of the Awards Committee. As expressed in a statement, Kramer is excited about working alongside her as our new Academy President. He also looks forward to collaborating with this exceptional team of board officers who are both dedicated and strategic. This group of esteemed Academy members will further our organization’s mission, aid our membership globally, secure our financial future, and honor the accomplishments within the international filmmaking community.

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2025-08-01 16:35