Producer Janet Yang joined the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in 2002 but simply watched the movies and voted until one of Chris Rock’s jokes at the 2016 Oscars grabbed her attention: While pretending to introduce the accountants, he brought out three Asian children dressed in suits, playing directly into ugly Asian stereotypes.
Yang, considered the godmother of Asian Americans in the industry, was horrified. She mobilized Hollywood’s Asian community to express its disappointment and pushed for more inclusion within the Academy membership. She became an Academy governor-at-large—a position created after the second consecutive #OscarsSoWhite scandal—and even-tually president, a post she took over in August. “It’s opened up a whole new world for me that was completely unanticipated,” says Yang, whose producing credits include The Joy Luck Club and The People vs. Larry Flynt. Last year’s show was mired in controversy, from the Will Smith slap to the removal of some categories from the live broadcast. Yang just faced her first storm with the To Leslie investigation, and she says that when the Academy adjusts its campaign guidelines as a result, the focus will be on “championing all films, while also ensuring the process is equitable.” Her goal is to stay focused on the future: “I feel the Academy is ahead of the curve and not behind it.”
There’s been a lot of change and turmoil. Why become president now?
I was already very invested in the Academy after becoming a governor, and I really felt strongly about it realizing its fullest potential in this ever-changing environment. The Academy is becoming more international and wants more member engagement. That’s what I like: building community.
Was there trepidation about leading AMPAS amid so much change?
Of course there was some trepidation just because the future of the industry is uncertain. We’re facing a lot of headwinds. But I felt it was…
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