The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has found its producing team for the 2019 Academy Awards and it’s a mix of a little something new and a little something familiar. Donna Gigliotti will be the primary producer and Glenn Weiss, who won an Emmy for directing the 90th Oscars in September (and then proposed to his girlfriend on stage), will co-produce and direct.
Jennifer Todd and Michael De Luca produced the last two Academy Awards telecasts and were not expected to return.
READ MORE: The Best and Worst of the 2018 Academy Awards
Gigliotti is an Oscar winner for producing “Shakespeare in Love” and a nominee for “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Reader” and, most recently, “Hidden Figures.” Her other credits include “Let Me In” and “The Fundamentals of Caring.”
This will be Weiss’ fourth consecutive Oscars as the telecast’s director. He has won 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, including this year’s honor, and has directed 18 Tony Awards telecasts. His other credits include “The Kennedy Center Honors,” the “BET Awards,” the “Primetime Emmy Awards” and “Live from Lincoln Center.”
In a statement from the Academy, AMPAS President John Bailey remarked, “Donna and Glenn will infuse new energy and vision into this 91st awards presentation, and we are excited about a broad-based creative relationship with these two artists.”
“I’m grateful to the Academy and ABC for entrusting me with this very special opportunity,” Gigliotti says. “I’m sure it will prove to be a humbling, exhilarating and completely unique experience. Thankfully, I will have Glenn Weiss by my side every step of the way!”
Weiss noted, “I’m so looking forward to being back to help celebrate and honor the film industry and all the talented people behind this year’s movies. And I am ‘co-excited’ to be co-producing this year’s show with Donna Gigliotti!”
Academy CEO Dawn Hudson added, “We’re thrilled to work with someone as passionate about the Academy as Donna Gigliotti—an Oscar winner and multiple nominee. She and (the now famous) Glenn Weiss are committed to making the most of the innovations we’ve embraced for our 91st Oscars.”
And, lastly, ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey noted, “Donna Gigliotti has worked on some of the most celebrated films of our time and is uniquely qualified to bring her talent to the most anticipated awards show of the year. And, thanks to Glenn Weiss, we just experienced the most talked-about moment at the Emmys with his heartfelt onstage wedding proposal. We can’t wait to see how they top that at The Oscars.”
With Gigliotti and Weiss officially in the fold, it’s possible the Academy could announce a host sooner rather than later. It’s rare the host of the Oscar telecast is still unknown by early November.
The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019 and telecast live on ABC.
