Ava DuVernay Has Been Elected to the Motion Picture Academy's Board of Governors for the 1st Time

Ava DuVernay is quite the busy woman, but she has somehow managed to make room for yet another important position.

According to Deadline, the Academy Award nominee (for 13th) has been elected to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ (AMPAS) Board of Governors. This will be the director’s first term. Congrats to Ava!

“Life is a funny, fascinating thing. You never know what’s around the corner,” DuVernay tweeted after the official news was announced on Wednesday.

Deadline further reports more info on the numbers as well as the board’s duties:

AMPAS reports that the results of this election means the number of female board members has increased from 25 to 26 and people of color from 11 to 12, including the three Governors-at-Large.

The Academy’s 17 branches are each represented by three governors, who may serve up to three consecutive three-year terms. The Board of Governors sets the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures the fulfillment of its mission.

Along with the fact the board election period was compacted this time around, there are a few post-COVID aspects to consider: For one, the board is expected to meet Thursday via virtual video conference in order to discuss a potentially delayed date for the 2021 Oscar show (the current set date is February 28, but March or even April may be a possibility). Additionally, there’s the fact that the Academy Board has allowed more (temporary) wiggle room in its notoriously strict rules, including allowing streamers and VOD to compete for the Oscars without having to showcase the project in theaters for at least seven days. This is, of course, because theaters have been closed during the pandemic.

The full list of 2019-2020 Board of Governors is available at oscars.org and the blackness includes actor Whoopi Goldberg, costume designer Ruth E. Carter, sound editor Teri E. Dorman, production designer Wynn P. Thomas, documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams and producer Devon Franklin (governor-at-large).