Don’t Kill the Messenger welcomes veteran marketing executive and former President of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs

Don’t Kill the Messenger welcomes veteran marketing executive and former President of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

In this episode of Don’t Kill the Messenger, host Kevin Goetz sits down with a trailblazing figure in the entertainment industry, Cheryl Boone Isaacs. As a public relations and marketing executive, Cheryl has worked on marketing campaigns for over 300 films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Forrest Gump, and The King’s Speech. As the first African American and first person of color to serve as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cheryl shares her experiences, insights, and the journey that led her to become a pivotal force for change in Hollywood.

Kevin Goetz on diversity in Hollywood:

We have data that absolutely shows that voices, inclusive voices of, and I don’t mean simply race, I don’t mean color, I mean age, I mean different cultural languages, creates a more compelling discussion. Much better idea generation. This is a fact. I’ve done a lot of research around this, obviously since #OscarsSoWhite. And the truth of the matter is, why don’t people just get it?

Career Highlights and #OscarsSoWhite

Cheryl’s impressive career as a marketing and PR executive spans over 300 films, however, it was her role as Academy president during the #OscarsSoWhite movement that brought her to the forefront of industry change.

Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Cheryl shares:

My saying was, folks, we need to widen our lens. There is a lot of talent that’s being left behind. There’s an audience that is not being served. This is silly. And you asked about #OscarsSoWhite. I put it this way, I’m in the car, I am driving. It’s a stick shift. #OscarsSoWhite pushed me into fourth gear.

Early Career and Hollywood Journey

Cheryl’s path to Hollywood wasn’t straightforward. Growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts, with a postal worker father and stay-at-home mother, she initially aspired to be a musical comedy dancer. After a stint as a Pan Am stewardess, she found her way to Hollywood, despite her brother Ashley Boone’s (a prominent figure in the industry) initial discouragement.

Breaking Barriers in a Challenging Industry

Cheryl candidly discusses the challenges she faced as an African American woman in Hollywood:

When I would call up and make appointments, I would constantly be asked, are you one of Pat’s daughters, Pat Boone? And I would say, no, I’m not. And they would because of Bob, I think, take the meeting and every meeting after I would say, could you give me some names, so I could call? But it was always fun, not really, when the door would open and I’d just watch the face for a few minutes as we had to readjust to something different.

Notable African American Figures in Hollywood

Kevin asks Cheryl for her quick takes on influential individuals like Spike Lee, Ava DuVernay, and others.

Cheryl on calling Spike Lee about his honorary Oscar:

And one of my favorite things with Spike was when I called him to tell him. I called him and I said, Spike, I just want you to know I came out of the board meeting and I want you to know that we have selected you to be a recipient of an honorary Oscar from The Academy. His first words were, for real. For real, Cheryl? I’ll never forget that, ever. And I said, for real. He goes a real one, not a little one? I totally teared up.

Collaborative Nature of Filmmaking

As an educator at the Sidney Poitier New American Film School, Cheryl emphasizes the collaborative nature of filmmaking to her students:

It’s not one person and every department that comes together to actually bring what is written words onto a screen that elicits emotions for people is magic. It’s magic when you think about it. How does that happen? And it happens with a whole group of people from different disciplines who are all in support of the important thing, which is the story.

The Future of Hollywood and Diversity

Cheryl offers insights on the progress made and challenges ahead along with the importance of collaborative voices in the creative process.

Throughout her career, Cheryl Boone Isaacs has broken barriers. From her start in marketing, to her role as president of The Academy, and continuing with her current position of guiding future filmmakers at the Sidney Poitier New American Film School, Boone Isaacs offers valuable lessons for those entering the film world, reinforcing the importance of diversity, collaboration, and perseverance in Hollywood. For the full conversation, check out the podcast episode here. And let us know your thoughts on the episode in the comments!

Don’t Kill the Messenger, hosted by movie and entertainment research expert Kevin Goetz, brings his book Audienceology to life. This bi-monthly podcast takes a peek behind the filmmaking curtain as Kevin talks with famous filmmakers, studio executives, stars, and other creatives about movies, filmmaking, audience test screenings, and much more.

A note from Kevin Goetz on the upcoming episode:

We are just around the corner from celebrating our 50th episode of my podcast, Don’t Kill the Messenger. We have a lot in store for you, including an upcoming special interview with visionary director, Ron Howard. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it. And for this milestone, we would love to know who’s listening out there. Please visit my website at KevinGoetz360.com for the link. And through August, everyone who connects will be entered into a drawing for our special 50th episode celebration t-shirt giveaway. As always, I’m grateful for your support of my book Audienceology, and in helping to spread the word about my podcast. Thanks, everyone.

For more information about Cheryl Boone Isaacs:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheryl_Boone_Isaacs