It is the first casting director to lead the institution. David Rubin was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization announced awarding him the Oscars of the cinema on Tuesday evening. He replaces the chief operator John Bailey, at the head of the Academy since August of 2017.

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Rubin has operated on a hundred works, among which the films The English patient , Men in Black , Four weddings and a funeral , The Talented Mr. Ripley and the hit series of HBO’s Big Litte Lies .

He will assume the presidency at a crucial time for the Academy. It has been pursuing for several years diversification efforts and is seeking to burnish its coat of arms following the controversy (#Oscarsowhite, sexual harassment, lack of parity, etc) that have surrounded the past the academy awards ceremonies. The hearing has also decreased by 30 million viewers over the last two years.

50% of women

In 2016, the organization has set an ambitious goal in his announcement to double the number of women and people from minorities into its ranks by 2020. At the time, only one member out of four was a woman, and the rate of non-white amounted to 8% only. Long criticised for its lack of parity and diversity, the prestigious institution of Hollywood has finally rebalanced a portion of the balance at the beginning of July, up to 50% of women.

According to the media across the Atlantic The Warp , the organization could open the doors to its museum, whose inauguration was originally planned for 2017, after the next academy awards ceremony which will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on February 9 and will be broadcast live.