Oscar-winning “West Side Story” actress Ariana DeBose, Warner Bros. Pictures Group CEO Pamela Abdy and nationally recognized trial lawyer Wylie A. Aitken have joined the American Film Institute Board of Trustees, AFI announced on Thursday.
“AFI is the place where artistry and academia meet,” said Kathleen Kennedy, chair of AFI Board of Trustees, in a statement shared with TheWrap. “The addition of Pam, Wylie and Ari to the board will further propel our national mandate to inspire, to educate and, ultimately, to drive culture forward.”
DeBose won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 musical remake of “West Side Story.” She has also won a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and been nominated for a Tony. In 2022, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Abdy serves as co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, which encompasses Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, DC-based films and Warner Animation Group. She shares oversight of the Studio’s global theatrical production, marketing and distribution operations. She is also a member of the Producers Guild of America and serves as governor on the executive board of the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Aitken is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and founding partner of Aitken Aitken Cohn of Santa Ana, California. He has been named one of the top 100 lawyers in the state by the Los Angeles Daily Journal and the Orange County Business Journal. He previously served as the Chair of the California Arts Council.
The AFI Board of Trustees sets the Institute’s priorities and guide its national education programs. Current board members include film historian Jeanine Basinger, lyricist Alan Bergman, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, writer/director Ava DuVernay and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.
