Producer Laurence Mark has been tapped to produce and writer/director Bill Condon to exec produce the 81st Annual Academy Awards telecast. It will be their first involvement in the production of an Oscar show.
"Larry and Bill are fresh thinkers who will bring a unique perspective to the Oscar show," Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Sid Ganis said. "That fact, joined with their enormous collective talent and enthusiasm, will serve the 81st awards proceedings perfectly."
In 2006, Mark produced and Condon wrote and directed DREAMGIRLS -- their first time teaming. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two Oscars, including one for Jennifer Hudson for Actress in a Supporting Role.
Mark is currently in post-production on JULIE AND JULIA, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams and written and directed by Nora Ephron for release next year. His other credits include I, ROBOT, THE LOOKOUT, FINDING FORRESTER and JERRY MAGUIRE, for which he received a Best Picture Oscar nomination. He also served as exec producer on AS GOOD AS IT GETS and WORKING GIRL.
Condon is writing a film about Richard Pryor for The Weinstein Company, which he will direct. He wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for CHICAGO and wrote and directed KINSEY, as well as GODS AND MONSTERS, for which he won the Academy Award for Adapted Screenplay.
Academy Award nominations in all categories will be announced on January 22, 2009. The 81st Academy Awards presentation will be telecast live by the ABC Television Network on Sunday, February 22, 2009.
