Oscars: Good News as Academy Gets First Casting Director as President (About Time), David Rubin Worked on “The English Patient,” “Men in Black” and More

The Motion Picture Academy has its first casting director as president. David Rubin now steps in as head of the Oscars, and it’s about time. Casting directors are the heart of the movie business. Bravo! Rubin’s credits include “The English Patient,” “Men in Black,” “Hairspray,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Get Shorty,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet” and “Fried Green Tomatoes.”

The other elected or re-elected board members are:

• Lois Burwell, First Vice President (chair, Awards and Events Committee)
• Sid Ganis, Vice President (chair, Museum Committee)
• Larry Karaszewski, Vice President (chair, Preservation and History Committee)
• Nancy Utley, Vice President (chair, Education and Outreach Committee)
• Mark Johnson, Treasurer (chair, Finance Committee)
• Bonnie Arnold, Secretary (chair, Membership and Governance Committee)

And so we get ready for another Oscar season, with some potential nominees already getting in place. Labor Day, here we come!