In what can only be described as a dramatic Friday surprise, Variety reports that Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President John Bailey is being investigated for sexual harassment. Bailey is in the middle of his first year as President of the Motion Picture Academy and is responsible for the Academy Awards and the upcoming Academy museum.
According to the trade outlet, the organization received three allegations of sexual harassment on Wednesday and immediately began an inquiry. No other details of the allegations are known, but until this point, Bailey has had a sterling reputation within the Academy and industry overall.
In a statement released to Deadline, AMPAS noted, “The Academy treats any complaints confidentially to protect all parties. The Membership Committee reviews all complaints brought against Academy members according to our Standards of Conduct process, and after completing reviews, reports to the Board of Governors. We will not comment further on such matters until the full review is completed.”
The 75-year-old cinematographer is best known for his work on films such as “American Gigolo,” “Ordinary People,” “The Big Chill” and “Groundhog’s Day.” Bailey has been a longtime member of the Academy’s Board of Governors representing the Cinematography branch and replaced Cheryl Boone Isaacs as AMPAS president after the end of her four-year term in August of 2017.
During his short tenure, Bailey has overseen the Academy’s reaction to the #MeToo movement which saw the expulsion of longtime member Harvey Weinstein from the organization. The Academy has been working with industry guilds during this time to make changes to how sexual harassment is handled, as well as pushing for increasing diversity across all aspects of the industry.
If for some reason Bailey was forced out, he would be replaced by the Academy’s Vice President, makeup artist Lois Burwell, who would fill out the term until the next election in August (AMPAS presidents are elected every year for a minimum of four straight years).