March 21, 2016
U.S.A.
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 9
Film academy diversifies leadership, apologizes to Asians
By Sandy Cohen
The Associated Press
L
OS ANGELES — The Academy of Motion Pictures
Arts and Sciences has added three new governors
to its 51-member board and appointed six minority
members to other leadership positions. The group also
apologized for a racially insensitive skit held during the
Oscar show.
Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the
new appointees after a meeting of the organization’s
Board of Governors. The board also ratified other changes
proposed in January in response to the #OscarsSoWhite
crisis aimed at increasing diversity, including limiting
Oscar voting rights to those active in the movie business.
The academy’s apology came after criticism from some
Asian academy members offended by a skit during the
Oscar show that introduced three Asian kids as Price
waterhouseCoopers accountants.
“I can understand the feelings and we are setting up a
meeting to discuss, because as you well know, no one sets
out to be offensive, and I’m very sorry that has happened,”
Boone Isaacs said in a phone interview with The Asso-
ciated Press. “I think so much is achieved with dialogue, so
much is achieved. And that is what we’ll continue to do:
Have dialogue, listen, and just keep fixing.”
In the interview, Boone Isaacs also expanded on the
board meeting and the academy’s diversity goals.
Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.
AP: Talk about the new positions announced tonight
(new governors include Oscar telecast producer Reginald
Hudlin and Kung Fu Panda 3 director Jennifer Yuh
Nelson; committee members include actor Gael Garcia
Bernal and producer Effie Brown).
Boone Isaacs: Now the board has much more of a
diversity to it ... It’s always good to have some new-ness,
someone who comes into the conversation that has been
rolling along, just a different perspective ... We set out,
even a few years ago, of having more inclusion and
certainly have stepped it up. We just want to keep this
process going, and so we’re really happy that we’re able to
announce these additions.
AP: How did the voting discussion go? When you first
announced planned voting changes in January, some
older members worried about losing their privileges.
Boone Isaacs: Overall it was positive. What we have
added to this discussion is — our branches are diverse
within themselves ... in terms of perspective, and we
respect this tremendously. We have just clarified a bit
more that because the branch qualifications are so varied
that the best way to determine specific criteria is within
the branches. It’s not such a one size fits all.
AP: So voters concerned about their voting status can
appeal to their branch?
U.S. says losing access to China-
claimed waters would be huge
By Rod McGuirk
The Associated Pres
C
ANBERRA, Australia — A U.S. Navy commander
warns that if the United States lost access to
international waters claimed by China in the
South China Sea, it would have far-reaching implications
beyond military.
U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Scott H. Swift told a
conference on Indo-Pacific maritime security that sailing
warships in freedom of navigation operations through
contested areas where multiple countries have competing
territorial claims was “not a naval issue.” He said the
issue is the impact on the global economy and inter-
national law.
But he said the United States has no expectation that
such a loss of access would ever occur.
The U.S. Navy has angered China by sending warships
close to artificial islands built by Beijing that include
airstrips and radar stations. The U.S. lays no claims to the
waters, but says it has an interest in ensuring freedom of
navigation and overflight and peaceful resolution of
ownership disputes.
Swift said there was a “palpable sense” that an attitude
of “might makes right” was returning to the region after
70 years of security and stability since World War II.
While the United States was increasing its military
presence in the region as part of its pivot to Asia, Swift
said there was no need for more U.S. naval facilities in
countries such as Australia.
“There’s no real necessity, in fact it become a facilities
burden, if we were to expand in some other way. That’s not
something that I would support,” Swift said.
Australia is increasing its defense ties with the United
States, its most important strategic ally, as tensions and a
military build-up mount in the South China Sea.
ADDRESSING INEQUITY. Host Chris Rock, right, gestures to three unidentified children portraying PricewaterhouseCoopers representatives in
a skit at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Rock’s skit ignited an outcry from Asian Americans and others angered by its stereotyping and,
more broadly, frustrated by how non-black minorities are portrayed — or ignored — by Hollywood, especially movie studios. The response also has
illuminated the gap between African Americans, who have made on-screen gains, and the lagging progress by other minorities, including Asian Ameri-
can, Latinos, and Native Americans. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Boone Isaacs: Each branch will review with regard to you can to meet it ... Everything about us is setting our
standards high, and we’re going to continue that.
their qualifications.
I think that this conversation really has picked up
AP: A past academy president said the goals you
announced in January to double the academy’s female and around the industry as a whole. You see different com-
minority members are impossible to achieve without panies — whether its Bad Robot or Ryan Murphy or Plan
B or the program that Warner Bros. just set up — this
relaxing standards. Are they?
Boone Isaacs: The thing is, we want to set goals and conversation is really, really rolling. So absolutely: Let’s
we’re going to work our damndest to meet them all. That’s set it, let’s work for it, and do everything we can. That is
our goal. The goal is to have one, and then do everything the goal.
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