On Tuesday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that David Hill and Reginald Hudlin were chosen to produce the 88th Annual Oscars.
Hudlin is said to be a personal favorite of Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the president of the Academy. He is the second Afrian-American to produce the show. An Oscar nominee himself for Django Unchained in 2012, and is no stranger to the Academy. Hudlin was tapped by Isaac to produce last year's non televised Governors Awards. So his appointment was no surprise.
Hill on the other hand, left FOX recently, to start his own production shingle, Hilly,that will focus on live and reality television.
He served as chairman and CEO of Fox Sports Media Group,while at Fox, during which he oversaw the integration of new technologies and multi platform services across the U.S.He contributed to hundreds of Emmy nominations and awards for the network.
As the executive producer of the 2011 World Series broadcast, he was personally given an Emmy for outstanding live sports special. He was the executive producer of the last two season of American Idol.
Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs said, "We're delighted to have this talented team on board," Isaacs also said, "David is a true innovator with a dynamic personality. His vast experience as a live event producer, coupled with Reginald's energy, creativity and talent as a filmmaker, is sure to make this year's Oscar telecast a memorable one."
For the past 10 years, The Oscars consistently ranks first as television's entertainment telecast and draws an average of 40 million viewers. The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theater at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. It will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT in more than 225 countries andterritories worldwide.