Oscar mix-up, PwC executives get threats

Issue No. 6 | March 16-31, 2017

In the days since Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony, during which La La Land was incorrectly named Best Picture instead of Moonlight before the mistake was corrected, the fallout has accumulated to frightening levels for the two PricewaterhouseCoopers accounts responsible for monitoring the ceremony.

The two PwC executives Martha Ruiz and Brian Cullinan have received death threats over their involvement in the debacle and have been given security details to protect themselves and their families. The Academy announced that it would not invite the two executives back for any future event including Oscars, though they will keep their jobs at the firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers’s involvement in future ceremonies which was under review, has now been cleared. According to various accounts of the goof up, Cullinan was directly responsible for handing Warren Beatty the wrong envelope to announce Best Picture.

PwC which has overseen Oscar balloting for 83 years has been retained by the Academy of Motion Pictures.