Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd want to make sure ‘everyone goes home with a smile on their face’<\/p>\n
Producing the Oscars has never been an easy gig. The show\u2019s producers are saddled with a slew of awards to give out, many of which don\u2019t include any famous people; they\u2019re always pressured to keep the show short; and the primary reason why audiences tune in \u2014 the slate of movies being nominated \u2014 is out of their control. But those hurdles didn\u2019t keep producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd from desperately wanting the job.<\/p>\n
The duo, who co-chaired the PGA Awards last year, said they lobbied hard for the gig. \u201cWe were shameless,\u201d said De Luca, the former president of production of Sony Pictures, who is currently producing the last two films in the Fifty Shades<\/em> trilogy. \u201cThere was no secret that we wanted this. We did everything except take out a billboard on Sunset Blvd. that said, \u2018We Want to Produce the Academy Awards.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n And despite the challenges, the two think they can make the show a fun time for both the audience in the room and those watching from afar.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to infuse the show with our love of cinema and what movies mean to people,\u201d says Jennifer Todd, the current president of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck\u2019s production company Pearl Street Films. \u201cWe think we can have an effect on the mood of the night and make it a fun, joyous night for people.\u201d<\/p>\n De Luca and Todd\u2019s initial job will be to hire an emcee for the evening\u2019s festivities. The pair is open to a variety of hosts but if De Luca had his way, he\u2019d go the comedian route.<\/p>\n \u201cI like funny,\u201d he says. \u201cI think when it\u2019s a funny person or two funny people, when they riff on things, adapt as we roll along and crack great jokes, it makes sure everyone goes home with a smile on their face. Those are the telecasts I remember. That\u2019s what we want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n The upcoming Oscars will be held on Feb. 26, 2017.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source:\u00a0ew.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd want to make sure ‘everyone goes home with a smile on their face’ Producing the Oscars has never been an easy gig. The show\u2019s producers are saddled with a slew of awards to give out, many of which don\u2019t include any famous people; they\u2019re ...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":54722,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4545,4541],"tags":[8147,4673],"class_list":["post-54721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","category-showbiz-en","tag-ceremony","tag-oscars-en"],"acf":false,"yoast_head":"\n