Running the Oscars is one of those jobs everyone thinks they understand until they realize it is part live television, part diplomacy, part group project with 11,000 voters, and part crisis management. But Lynette Howell Taylor doesn’t sweat it. The British producer behind A Star Is Born, Blue Valentine, and Captain Fantastic was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last summer, stepping into the role at the exact moment the awards conversation has become louder, faster, and more global than ever.
Howell Taylor doesn’t just supervise the Academy. She has produced the Oscars broadcast before, so she knows the show’s chaos inside out. She also runs her production company, 51 Entertainment, which is currently producing The Accountant 2 for Prime Video. It’s a good reminder that this job is not just symbolic.
For “How I Get It Done,” Howell Taylor breaks down the systems behind the spectacle, how to honor tradition without getting stuck in the past, and what it takes to lead a cultural institution when the whole world is watching in real time.
What does a day look like for you right now in the thick of Oscars season?
Somewhere between a gazillion emails, nonstop phone calls, and Zooms, I’m watching cuts of reels for the show, talking through presenters, music, pacing, and flow. I’m collaborating with Conan O’Brien and his team, working closely with our producers, and partnering with an incredible design team. It’s constant, it’s detailed, and there’s not a lot of sleep happening because we care deeply and we want to do the movies justice.
But the part I love most is being close to the work: watching the spotlight land on remarkable films and witnessing the platform the Oscars gives to filmmakers and artists. That never gets old.
You’ve produced films, and now you’re leading a film institution. Before seeing the cast or the budget, what has to happen on page one of a screenplay for you to say, “I’m in”?
I start as an audience member. I don’t love being pitched ideas; I want to read the screenplay and have my own reaction. My guiding question is, Did I have the experience reading this that I’d want to have watching it? It begins with instinct and what’s on the page: the writing, the world, what it’s trying to say. I have broad taste, I love all genres, so I’m always asking, Is this something I want to put into the world? From there, it becomes about the elements you attach: the director, the cast, how it’s being made. But it always starts with the story.
When a set is tense, the schedule is behind, money is on fire, feelings get hurt. What’s the producer move that saves the movie?
Leaving your ego at the door. A producer is in service: first to the movie, always to the story, and to the filmmaking team. The job is to create an environment where everyone can do their best work, where actors can be vulnerable, where the director can lead, where the team can focus.
And if you do it well, it’s invisible. The producer’s job isn’t to make it look like the producer did it. That’s why ego gets in the way.
When do you realize that a movie is actually becoming what you hoped? Is it during the table read, or the first day on set, or watching the first cut?
I wish there was a magic signal, but I’ve learned to trust one thing: If I’m talking myself into a script because of the director, the actor, or the money, and I’m not having a human reaction to the story, that’s a red flag.
When I do have that human reaction, then the goal is to protect it as the project grows: when a director comes on, when you watch an actor bring a character to life beyond what you imagined, when you see the first cut and think, It’s in here, we’re going to be okay.
And the real moment is the first audience. Even if it’s a small room: friends, family, 20 people — you can feel if you’ve made something special. We make movies for other people. That first reaction is the thrill.
People romanticize producing and leadership roles like yours. What’s the reality no one sees, especially now as Academy president?
The highs are incredibly high, but they’re a small percentage of the job. That rush on set, that moment when a performance lands and you know the movie works, the first audience screening, it can carry you through a lot of hard, often thankless work.
Producing has also become more difficult to sustain, financially and structurally, especially for younger producers. Many producers work for years developing projects without being paid until something is green-lit. Then, once it’s moving, more people can come in and share credit and fees. That makes it tougher for the people doing the early, risky work, the ones championing new voices and new talent.
As Academy president, the job is also service: You’re supporting 11,000 global members across disciplines, regions, and life experiences. What’s interesting is that the skill set is similar: listening, collaborating, building alignment, making space for artists and craft.
Is there a moment in your Academy journey that’s etched in your memory forever?
I’ve loved the Oscars since I was a little girl, the magic of filmmakers across disciplines coming together in one room to celebrate a year in film. A moment I’ll never forget was producing the show in 2020, right before the world shut down. I walked into the Dolby Theatre for the first time that season after months of planning and seeing everyone at work, building sets, placing cards in seats for nominees, operating cameras; it gave me chills. There was something uniquely magical about being part of a team celebrating everyone else. And honestly, every year when I walk into the Dolby for the first time, I still feel that same rush.
Walk me through the real chain of decisions behind the Oscars broadcast. Who chooses the producers, and what are you optimizing for?
The CEO and the president hire the producing team each year. We’ve been fortunate to have incredible producers in place, and one important shift over the last few years has been hiring earlier, giving the team a longer runway. That has had a really positive impact on the show.
It’s also helpful to have continuity with the same producers across multiple years. You’re looking for people who understand how to create a dynamic live show, who love movies, who know how to celebrate artists, and who know how to keep it fresh for audiences year over year.
The Academy now requires members to watch all nominated films. How does enforcement actually work?
It’s still an honor system, but there’s now a step that builds personal accountability: When you vote, you mark that you’ve watched the film. Adding that moment, going into the app and affirming you’ve watched, matters. Fair voting is essential. We want members comparing films they’ve actually seen, not voting out of affection without considering the full category. The feedback from members so far has been really positive, and I’m encouraged by it.
What do you think the public most misunderstands about Oscar voting?
I’m not sure everyone understands who the Academy is. It isn’t a small committee; it’s 11,000 working artists around the world, across disciplines. The nominees are chosen by peers within branches, and the winners are chosen by the full membership. That’s what makes it special: artists recognizing artists.
Where’s the line between protecting tradition and admitting culture changes every day, especially if you’re trying to reach a younger audience without losing the core?
The most exciting part is that the movies tell us where culture is going. The films that are made and nominated shape what the Oscars become. The work is done by the filmmaking community, and the Academy responds by celebrating and elevating it. As for the show, the goal is always to keep it dynamic, but the movies do so much of that work for us. Audiences engage with the Oscars differently now, on more platforms and globally, and the Academy’s relevance is truly worldwide. The evolution comes through the art. We respond to it.
When the public is disappointed, when they feel passionate about who “should” have won, how do you receive that?
Eleven thousand people are making the decision by voting. Our role is to keep movies elevated and in the conversation. That’s one of the gifts of Oscars season. It encourages audiences to discover films, including ones without massive distribution. There will always be disappointment because so much great work happens every year. I find it impossible to rank art in a way that feels definitive. Whoever wins, they deserve it, and there will always be other performances that also deserved it. That’s what it means to live in a world where great art is being made.
This year clearly moved you. Without naming favorites, what did this year in film feel like?
I genuinely get emotional thinking about how these movies affected me. Some gave me escapism. I wanted to stay in those worlds. Others cracked me open, stunned me into silence. I’ve met filmmakers whose bravery in storytelling left me nearly speechless. There’s been joy, connection, honesty, truth-telling. A full spectrum of what movies can do. It’s a remarkable year for film, and it reminds me why I’m a producer and why I’m grateful to be in this role: to connect, elevate, and support this community of artists.