The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, during its annual all-members meeting on Tuesday, announced the newly appointed chairs and vice chairs for its 2026-2027 committees and affinity groups, including appointments to the new Academy Marquee Theater Committee. All chairs and vice chairs serve one-year terms.

“As a member-led organization, we are deeply grateful to all our chairs and vice chairs for their leadership and engagement across the Academy’s work,” Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor and CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement. “Their dedication helps advance our mission while ensuring that the Academy is well-positioned for the future.” 

Below are the appointed chairs and vice chairs for its 2026-2027 committees.

Academy Marquee Theater Committee

The Academy Marquee Theater Committee, which reviews submissions and recommends theaters for inclusion on the Academy Marquee Theater List, will be co-chaired by Sean Baker (Directors Branch) and Samantha Quan (Producers Branch), the couple behind Anora.

Awards Committees

The International Feature Film Executive Committee, which oversees the awards rules, submission requirements and eligibility of the Oscars’ International Feature Film category, will be co-chaired by Michèle Ohayon (Documentary Branch) and James Wilson (Producers Branch).

The Short Films Qualifying Festivals Selection Committee, which determines festival eligibility criteria and reviews global applications to select which festivals and awards should be deemed Oscar-qualifying in the animated, documentary and live action short film categories, will be chaired by Summer Joy Main-Muñoz (Short Films Branch).

The Scientific and Technical Awards Executive Committee, which reviews submissions and makes recommendations for individuals and companies to receive Scientific and Technical Awards, will be co-chaired by Darin Grant (Visual Effects Branch) and Rachel Rose (Visual Effects Branch).

Membership Committees

Branch and Category Executive Committees, which oversee branch-and category-related business, including awards rules, eligibility and the review of candidates considered for Academy membership, will be chaired by:

Rita Wilson (chair, Actors Branch Executive Committee)
Marlon West (chair, Animation Branch Executive Committee)
Kim Taylor-Coleman (chair, Casting Directors Branch Executive Committee)
Paul Cameron (chair, Cinematographers Branch Executive Committee)
Daniel Orlandi (chair, Costume Designers Branch Executive Committee)
Patricia Cardoso (chair, Directors Branch Executive Committee)
Jean Tsien (chair, Documentary Branch Executive Committee)
Pam Abdy (chair, Executives Branch Executive Committee)
Terilyn A. Shropshire (chair, Film Editors Branch Executive Committee)
Gerald Quist (chair, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch Executive Committee)
Laura C. Kim (chair, Marketing and Public Relations Branch Executive Committee)
Lesley Barber (chair, Music Branch Executive Committee)
Effie T. Brown (chair, Producers Branch Executive Committee)
Annie Chang (chair, Production and Technology Branch Executive Committee)
Kalina Ivanov (chair, Production Design Branch Executive Committee)
Chris Tashima (chair, Short Films Branch Executive Committee)
Andy Nelson (chair, Sound Branch Executive Committee)
Brooke Breton (chair, Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee)
Howard A. Rodman (chair, Writers Branch Executive Committee)
Keya Khayatian (chair, Artist Representatives Category Executive Committee)

The International Engagement Committee, which helps guide global Academy membership initiatives, promoting connectivity among members worldwide, will be chaired by Peter Devlin (Sound Branch) and vice chaired by Khadija Alami (Producers Branch).

The London Committee, which provides advice and guidance on UK member screenings and special events, will be chaired by Maggie Todd (Marketing and Public Relations Branch) and vice chaired by May Leung (Visual Effects Branch).

The New York Committee, which provides advice and guidance on New York member screenings and special events, will be chaired by Mia Neal (Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch) and vice chaired by Dana O’Keefe (Executives Branch).

Membership Affinity Groups

Academy Affinity Groups, which bring together members from shared backgrounds and affinities, with a focus on underrepresented and marginalized communities, and offer guidance on membership, awards and programming while fostering community and promoting networking and educational opportunities, will be chaired and vice chaired by:

Stephanie Lowry (Music Branch), chair, Asian Affinity Group
Guneet Monga (Producers Branch), vice chair, Asian Affinity Group
Taura Stinson (Music Branch), chair, Black Caucus
Renard T. Jenkins (Production and Technology Branch), vice chair, Black Caucus
Àlex Lora (Short Films Branch), chair, Disability & Accessibility
Chelsea Winstanley (Producers Branch), chair, Indigenous Alliance
Howard Berger (Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch), co-chair, Jewish Heritage Affinity Group
Steven Raphael (Marketing and Public Relations Branch), co-chair, Jewish Heritage Affinity Group
Carlos López Estrada (Directors Branch), chair, La Agenda
Carla Gutiérrez (Documentary Branch), vice chair, La Agenda
Andrew Ahn (Directors Branch), co-chair, LGBTQ+ Coalition
Kimberly Reed (Documentary Branch), co-chair, LGBTQ+ Coalition
Haifaa al-Mansour (Directors Branch), chair, MENA & WANA Alliance
Edie Ichioka (Film Editors Branch), chair, Women’s Affinity Group
Gennie Rim (Animation Branch), vice chair, Women’s Affinity Group

Academy Foundation Committees

The Academy Museum Inclusion Advisory Committee, which helps to ensure the Academy Museum experience is inclusive for all visitors by bringing diverse perspectives to programmatic discussions, will be chaired by Bird Runningwater (Production and Technology Branch).

The Student Academy Awards Executive Committee, which guides the direction of the Academy’s international college student filmmaking competition, including approving rules and setting standards for judging the films, will be chaired by Brooke Breton (Visual Effects Branch).

The Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Executive Committee, which reads finalist screenplays for the Academy’s international program that supports emerging screenwriters and selects the recipients of the annual fellowships, will be chaired by Kim Taylor-Coleman (Casting Directors Branch).

The Science and Technology Council, which helps to guide Academy initiatives connected to scientific and technological standards and developments in filmmaking, will be chaired by Annie Chang (Production and Technology Branch) and vice chaired by Nick Cannon (Production and Technology Branch).

Pretty soon TV viewers will see Mariska Hargitay in a role she’s never played before, and it’s one-night-only – host of the Primetime Emmy Awards. You might not immediately think of her as a comedian, but then neither does she, she tells Deadline.

This fall, Hargitay returns for an astounding 28^th season as Det. (now Capt.) Olivia Benson on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU, but before that, on September 14th, Hargitay will take to the Emmys stage.

The host slot often goes to performers with a comedy background: standup comic Nate Bargatze did the honors last year. The year before, the show was hosted by comedic actors Eugene Levy and Dan Levy. The last time the Emmys were on NBC, the ceremony was emceed by SNL veteran Kenan Thompson. Hargitay says she hasn’t consulted previous hosts “because I’m not a comedian, so that’s not my thing. I think I’ll do it a little bit different than they would. And I think that they asked me to do it because of that. I think that they also want to switch it up a little bit.”

We’re doing something different this year, and I’m excited about that. And I’m allowing that… I’m going to do the Mariska Emmys.

“I’m at a place in my life where I am excited about doing new things. And if not now, when?” Hargitay says. “It’s such an extraordinary opportunity and I am excited about it. I’m excited to see all the people. I’m excited to celebrate people’s work. I guess I don’t really see it as about me. I see it about being part of something so historic.”

She adds, “I’m sort of taking that pressure off myself because there’s so many genius comedians out there that are just so funny and people that just I love and worship and truly make me so happy, but that’s not what they wanted. And so we’re doing something different this year, and I’m excited about that. And I’m allowing that… I’m going to do the Mariska Emmys.”

As the September 12 Primetime Emmys approach, Hargitay shared insights on her preparations, including a collaboration with the staff of a newly unemployed late-night host.

“We’re at the beginning stages, and so we’re throwing out a lot of different ideas,” she notes. “I’m working with an incredible team of writers — the writers from Colbert… We’ve been meeting a lot and discussing a lot and pitching a lot of ideas. We’re pitching so many ideas.”

I cannot tell you how many people — famous people — ask to be a dead body on SVU.

One that’s being discussed: a comedy bit with an SVU touch.

“I cannot tell you how many people — famous people — ask to be a dead body on the show. It’s a thing,” Hargitay laughs. “And it is so funny to me that that’s what they want out of all the things… just to be a dead body. It’s on their bucket list. That’s one of the ideas that we were talking about. So, I don’t know where it’s going to go. We have all these ideas and now it’s sort of picking the best and editing and cutting it and see what we’re going to do.”

Starring on the uber-serious Law & Order: SVU might not seem like ideal preparation for an Emmy hosting romp. And yet…

“If you came to the set of SVU and you saw how we cope with things and the long hours and the subject matter, there’s a lot of joking because it’s a marathon,” Hargitay relates. “I think I’ve always used humor to cope with everything. And so it’s sort of more me than not, if you will. Olivia Benson is a character that I live in a box. That’s a character. But if you knew me, I live in the comedy world. It’s how I deal with things. So, this is maybe even more comfortable in a way.”

Also serving Hargitay well – performing live in her Broadway debut over the summer in the play Every Brilliant Thing.

“Actually, I thought about that exact thing and I said, ‘I don’t know that I would’ve agreed to host the Emmys if I hadn’t just had that experience,’” she affirms. “It was interesting because I got the call to host the Emmys as I was backstage preparing to go on. It was a 3 o’clock show on Sunday and I saw that my phone was ringing… I looked and it was Pearlena [Igbokwe], head of NBC, and I was like, ‘Why is she calling me on a Sunday? Is everything OK?’ And the fact that I was in my dressing room preparing to go out to do this live thing and doing something that was so foreign to me before I did it and something I was terrified at doing, but so excited about — two, three things can be true at once.”

Hargitay continues, I went, ‘Pearlena, I’m not a comedian. That’s not what I do. This is normally a job for comedians.’ And then I thought about it over the weekend and I said, ‘Bring it.’ And I think that having this sublime, just incredibly rewarding experience on Broadway and having this interactive relationship with the audience and a live audience was so extraordinary and again, thrilling to me that I thought, ‘Yeah, I can do this.’”

It’s been an extraordinary year for Hargitay. In addition to completing her 27th season on Law & Order: SVU and making her Broadway debut, she made her nonfiction directorial debut with the documentary My Mom Jayne, an exploration of her mother, the late actress Jayne Mansfield, and buried family secrets. The HBO film has earned 3 Primetime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special (the documentary categories will be announced at the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony earlier in September, so Hargitay will be free and clear by the time the Primetime show rolls around on the 12^th).

The catharsis of directing the documentary paved the way, Hargitay believes, for daring career moves like Broadway and the Emmy hosting role.

“I don’t think the things that have happened afterwards would’ve happened without this film coming into the world,” she observes. “And I remember afterwards, people asked me how I felt and I described it as I have more internal space… That’s what I mean about how healing it was.”

The curtain rises on the “Mariska Emmys” Monday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, broadcast live coast to coast and streaming simultaneously on Peacock from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.