The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences elected film producer Janet Yang as its new president, the group behind the Oscars announced Tuesday, reports AFP.
Yang, best known for hits including ‘The Joy Luck Club’ and ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt,’ becomes the fourth woman elected to run Hollywood’s most elite group of filmmakers, and the first of Asian origin.
In a statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer praised in particular Yang's work on "membership recruitment, governance, equity, diversity, and inclusion" among other areas.
Around 19 percent of Academy members are now from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities.
