Producer Janet Yang first Asian American elected to lead the film academy

Producer Janet Yang has been elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group's board of governors announced Tuesday, making her the first Asian American to lead the film academy.

Yang, the 66-year-old producer of ``The Joy Luck Club'' and ``The People vs. Larry Flynt`` becomes the fourth woman to lead the organization behind the Oscars.

Elected by the academy's 54-member board, Yang succeeds outgoing president David Rubin, the veteran casting director, who is stepping down after three years due to term limits.

The Queens-born Yang has long been a significant figure in Hollywood's Asian American community. She has served on the academy's board of governors since 2019.