Producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd today announced 10 key members of the production team for the 90th Oscars®, which will air live on Sunday, March 4, on ABC.
“This team brings more than 90 years of combined Oscars telecast experience,” said De Luca and Todd. “Collaborating with them as we celebrate the 90th year of the Oscars is both fitting and thrilling.”
Glenn Weiss is returning as director for his third consecutive year. He has won 13 Primetime Emmy Awards®, including one for the 89th Oscars, for which he also won a DGA Award. Weiss has directed numerous televised events, including 17 Tony Awards® shows. Other directing credits include “The Kennedy Center Honors,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “BET Awards,” “Peter Pan Live!,” “Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” “Primetime Emmy Awards®,” “Live from Lincoln Center,” “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular,” “Garth Brooks, Live from Las Vegas” and the “American Music Awards."
Rob Paine has been associated with the Oscars® telecast for more than 20 years and returns as the supervising producer. Paine has more than 200 television events to his name and has earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Peabody Award. His other credits include 12 Super Bowl Halftime Shows, “The Kennedy Center Honors” and the “Primetime Emmy Awards.”
Production designer Derek McLane returns to the Oscars for a sixth consecutive year. McLane has earned Primetime Emmy nominations for every year he’s worked on the Oscars telecasts and won in 2014. His other television credits include “Hairspray Live!,” “The Wiz Live!,” “Peter Pan Live!” and “The Sound of Music Live!” McLane also has designed sets for several acclaimed Broadway productions and is currently designing for “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.” He won a Tony Award® for his work on the drama “33 Variations” and was Tony-nominated for “Anything Goes,” “Ragtime” and “The Pajama Game.”
Returning as head writer is Jon Macks, an eight-time Primetime Emmy nominee. This is his 21st time writing for the Oscars, and he has received three WGA Award nominations for the telecast. In addition to his work on the Oscars, Macks wrote for 22 years on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and writes for Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Martin Short.
Also returning is writer Dave Boone, a 10-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, who won twice as head writer of the “Tony Awards.” Boone has written for 11 Oscars telecasts, dating back to the “70th Oscars,” with host Billy Crystal. He has also served as head writer of “The Kennedy Center Honors,” “The Screen Actors Guild Awards” and the “87th Oscars.”
Carol Leifer also joins the show as a writer, and has written for the Oscars telecast seven times. Other writing credits include “Seinfeld,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Modern Family,” “Primetime Emmy Awards” and the “Tony Awards.” Leifer was discovered by David Letterman and appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman” 27 times. She is a four-time Primetime Emmy nominee.
Harold Wheeler, music director, returns for his fifth Oscars telecast. An accomplished orchestrator, composer, conductor, record producer and arranger, Wheeler has received multiple Emmy and Tony Award nominations as well as an NAACP Theatre Award for lifetime achievement. His television credits include the “People’s Choice Awards,” “AFI’s 100 Years…” series and 17 seasons of “Dancing with the Stars.” Wheeler also composed music for two Democratic National Conventions and the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics. On Broadway, he has orchestrated musicals including “Hairspray,” “The Full Monty,” “Dreamgirls,” “The Wiz” and “Promises, Promises."
Taryn Hurd rejoins the Oscars telecast team for the fifth consecutive year as talent producer. She also has served as talent producer on the past four Governors Awards ceremonies along with numerous variety television specials and award shows.
Lighting designer Robert Dickinson returns for his 29th Oscars show. He has won 18 Primetime Emmy Awards, including three for Oscars telecasts. Additionally, Dickinson has been honored with two Daytime Emmy Awards. His credits include “The Kennedy Center Honors,” “Grammy Awards®,” “Primetime Emmy Awards,” “Tony Awards” and “Academy of Country Music Awards”; Olympics ceremonies in Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Athens and Vancouver; the ceremonies of the European Games in Baku; and the specials “Peter Pan Live!” and “The Sound of Music Live!”
Raj Kapoor joins the Oscars for the second consecutive year, as co-producer, overseeing screen content and performances. Kapoor’s recent credits include seven “Grammy Awards,” Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary, ABC’s “Greatest Hits” and the “Radio Disney Music Awards.” Kapoor has mounted numerous large-scale international tours for Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Soul 2 Soul, One Republic, American Idol, Jason Aldean, Shania Twain, Juanes, Jewel, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Rascal Flatts.
The 90th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by De Luca and Todd and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, also will be televised in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. Additionally, “The Oscars: All Access” live stream from the red carpet and backstage will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
About THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 8,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is under construction in Los Angeles. www.oscars.org
