LOS ANGELES, CA — Emmy®-winning live television producer David
Hill and Oscar®-nominated producer-director Reginald Hudlin will produce
the 88th Oscars telecast, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs
announced today. It will be their first involvement with the Academy
Awards®, which will air live on the ABC Television Network on Oscar
Sunday, February 28, 2016.
“We’re delighted to have this talented team on board,” said Boone
Isaacs. “David is a true innovator with a dynamic personality. His
vast experience as a live events producer, coupled with Reggie’s energy,
creativity and talent as a filmmaker, is sure to
make this year’s Oscar telecast a memorable one.”
"What a great and exciting honor! The quest is to honor the year
in film, honor the art, and above all, make it fun," said Hill.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Academy again,” said
Hudlin. “I love every kind of film and this year’s awards will be a
celebration of the total range of cinema.”
“We’re excited to work with David and Reggie,” said Academy CEO
Dawn Hudson. “With their enthusiasm and breadth of experience, they
will bring a fresh perspective to the Oscar show.”
An executive with the Fox group of companies for more than 25
years, Hill most recently served as the senior executive vice president
of 21st Century Fox, overseeing programming, digital initiatives, and
other opportunities on five continents. He was previously the chairman
and CEO of Fox
Sports Media Group, during which time he spearheaded the integration of
new technologies and multiplatform programming services across the U.S.
Hill began his career with parent company News Corporation in Great
Britain, where he helped launch Sky Television, introduced the
multilingual sports
channel Eurosport, and created the hugely popular subscription channel
Sky Sports. While he has contributed to hundreds of Emmy nominations
and awards for the network, Hill received an individual Emmy for
Outstanding Live Sports Special as an executive producer of the 2011
World Series
broadcast. He also served as an executive producer on the last two
seasons of “American Idol.” He recently left Fox to start his own
production company, Hilly, focusing on live and reality television.
A writer, director, producer and executive, Hudlin received a
2012 Best Picture Oscar nomination as a producer of "Django Unchained."
Hudlin’s film credits include “Boomerang,” “The Great White Hype” and
the award-winning comedy “House Party,”
which he also wrote. He executive produced the hit television series
“The Boondocks” and “The Black Panther”; and has directed for “Modern
Family,” “Murder in The First,” “New Girl” and “The Office.” Last year,
Hudlin produced the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards ceremony and
has been the executive producer of the NAACP Image Awards since 2012.
Hudlin was the first President of Entertainment for BET Networks from
2005 to 2009, where he oversaw programming and developed some of the
network's highest rated shows during his tenure. He is a partner in
Milestone Media, a multi-ethnic comic book company distributed by DC
Comics, as well as New Nation Networks, a premium content provider in
partnership with Google. Hudlin is a member of the Academy of Motion
Picture
Arts and Sciences, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America,
Producers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild. He serves on the
executive board of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, The
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and Wasatch.
The Oscars ranks as television’s #1 entertainment telecast and
consistently has drawn an average audience of more than 40 million
viewers for the past 10 years. The 88th Oscars will be held on
Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland
Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.