The Academy Museum Podcast

Season 1: And the Oscar Goes to...

2002: This Door Has Been Opened

Jacqueline Stewart 0:00

In 2002, I hosted my one and only ever Oscars viewing party. I invited a bunch of friends and colleagues over to my place. We were listening to some Marvin Gaye. It was still freezing cold and Chicago, as it always is in March, but we were so excited because there were so many African American nominees that year and unprecedented possibility of amazing things happening that night. It really felt important to be surrounded by a larger group of people, and I have to say that there are people who came to this Oscars viewing party who had never been to Oscars viewing parties before. We were just really poised to celebrate something special that year. As we were putting out our chips and salsa and our jays potato chips and onion dip, miles away in Los Angeles, the party planning was at a completely different level.

Jacqueline Stewart 0:56

So I want to talk a little bit about the dress that you wore that night. This is a gown designed by Elie Saab, a Lebanese designer. It's a gown that has its own Wikipedia page [laughter]. But just amazing, gorgeous, deep red mesh gown, some strategic floral embroidery on it. What was the process of choosing what you would wear?

Halle Berry 1:20

Yeah, the Oscar is you know, it's about glamour, you know, and it is about fashion.

Jacqueline Stewart 1:24

This, of course, is Halle Berry. She was nominated that year for her role in Monster's Ball. She recently donated the dress she wore that night to the Academy Museum.

Halle Berry 1:34

I was very clear at the time that I wanted to stay connected to who I was, you know. I wanted to wear something that was reflective of me and my sense of style, which is why we got a little - a little sexy a little bit. We sort of managed to incorporate all the elements of who I think I am at the who I was at that time, that's for sure in that dress, and it was a little risky. Now I remember trying it on for the first time and people around me saying "oh, I don't know if that's...if that's an Oscar dress. It's maybe it's a bit too sexy, and maybe it's a bit too revealing." And then I thought well, "I remember what Cher wore one year and that seemed to be fine." [laugher] So I realized it was just important that I feel comfortable and stay true to who I was.

Jacqueline Stewart 2:19

Several neighborhoods over, Sidney Poitier was getting ready. His daughter, Sidney Poitier Heartsong, says that he got ready for all award shows in the same way.

Halle Berry 2:30

What is his routine when he got ready for an award show, I will tell you what it was exactly. My mother would wake him up because he would take a nap, particularly in the later years when he really needed needed the energy. About 20 minutes before they would have to leave, he would take a shower if he hadn't showered already, and then he would run an afro pick through his hair just a little, you know, just make sure it's all uniform. And he would brush his teeth and they would go and that was it. That was it. And he wore the same tuxedo that he wore a million times before he had an Armani tuxedo. And I'll tell you another really bizarre, interesting fact that I think points to his extra terrestrial illness. He hadn't had a haircut. He's never he's never had a haircut. He stopped having a haircut and it was about 20 years. It just wouldn't grow and also wouldn't fall off his head. It just stayed there and and you never needed to cut it! It was the craziest, most bizarre thing in the world. Wow! [Jacqueline]. Yeah.

Jacqueline Stewart 3:35

Effortless, effortless. Yeah. And at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Whoopi Goldberg was ready to host her fourth Oscar ceremony. Was it old hat for you at that moment? Did you feel as though you really had a handle on it? Was it still a challenge for you?

Whoopi Goldberg 3:53

Yeah, it was all those things. And I was so happy to be there. Really happy to be there. Because it was magic in the air. You know, there was a lot of magic in the

Whoopi Goldberg 4:03

[Nicolas Britell music plays]

Jacqueline Stewart 4:08

I'm Jacqueline Stewart. Welcome to the academy Museum podcast. This is our first season, "And the Oscar goes to..." In every episode we'll revisit a specific Oscar ceremony. We kick it off with "This Door Tonight Has Been Opened." We take a look at the Oscar ceremony in 2002.

Jacqueline Stewart 4:36

I am a University of Chicago film scholar and archivist host of silence Sunday nights on Turner Classic Movies. I've been a film fan all of my life. I started watching movies when I was a kid, old classic Hollywood films with my ant Constance. I love the way that she would comment on what it was like for her seeing movies like The Gay Divorcee, or Mildred Pierce, or Imitation of Life for the first time. We would talk about these movies during the commercial breaks. She really made me feel a sense of connection to people who made and watch these movies; generations before I was alive. It's about the movies for me. But it's also about the ways that movies bring people together, the kinds of conversations we can have about movies and the really deep histories. There's always something new to uncover.

Jacqueline Stewart 5:38

And my role as Chief Artistic and Programming Officer at the Academy Museum, we pay careful attention to the ways that filmmakers have developed their crafts over the years. One of the things that I really appreciate about the work that we're doing at the Academy Museum is that we're looking at international film history. And we're paying really careful attention not only to the filmmakers and the films that are well known, but also uncovering the histories that are less well known that have actually been excluded. And of course, Oscar ceremonies, and Oscar statuettes are a really important part of our exhibitions. So we're starting off our podcast looking at 10 significant Oscar ceremonies, because the Oscars give us snapshots of what was happening in the industry in a given year, as an art form and as a business. And they highlight cultural movements and debates that shape and are shaped by cinema, demonstrating the tremendous impact of film. We're starting off with 2002 because that year was extremely important due to the number of black nominees. Halle Berry was nominated for Best Actress for Monsters Ball. Both Denzel Washington and Will Smith were nominated for Best Actor. And Sidney Poitier was being recognized with a special Honorary Oscar, in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being. Plus, Whoopi Goldberg was the host that evening. So it promised to be a really important night for looking at the possibilities for black artists in Hollywood.

Red Carpet Reporter 7:15

[2002 Academy Sound clip] This must be a moment how have you dreamed about ever since you were a girl in Ohio, you're an Oscar nominee on the red carpet. How does a fantasy compare to the reality?

Halle Berry 7:25

"It's even more incredible than I could have ever imagined!"

Jacqueline Stewart 7:28

Well, every legit Oscars party really begins by turning the TV on early and catching the red carpet. And of course, my guests were floored by Halle Berry's gown that night. But as she was walking the red carpet, she didn't think that she would win.

Halle Berry 7:47

I remember feeling excited. But, if I'm honest, I also remember the overwhelming feeling that I knew I wouldn't win. And that simply because back in those days, the Golden Globe felt like they were very much the precursor for the Oscar. If you didn't win the Golden Globe, he usually didn't win the Oscar. And I didn't win the Golden Globe that year. So I kind of believed I wouldn't win. So I was really just trying to enjoy the moment, enjoy the sense of accomplishment, have a great time, enjoy my family, and just soak it all in because it's a huge night, you know, and I was just trying to soak it all up. But really deep down believing I probably would not win.

Jacqueline Stewart 8:31

The feeling was intense as people took their seats. As Sidney Poitier's daughter, Sydney, remembers.

Sydney Poitier Heartsong 8:37

It was really, really...charged, and exciting. I think, because Denzel was nominated. And Will was nominated. And Halle was nominated. There was such a feeling of just poignancy to the evening.

Jacqueline Stewart 8:56

And then the ceremony began.

Academy Awards Announcer 8:59

[2002 Academy sound clip] "Ladies and gentlemen, your Oscar winning host for the 74th Annual Academy Award is Whoopi Goldberg!"

Jacqueline Stewart 9:09

Let's talk about your entrance. That is the year when you drop down from the ceiling. Moulin Rouge style. Fabulous costume! How did you plan that?

Whoopi Goldberg 9:27

Well, I said, "Can I put a swing up there something to the ceiling ?" They said we can do better we can jump up from the ceiling. I was like, "Oh, okay..... okay!" So there I was. Swinging and laughing and having a good time. And knowing that it was joy and fun. And then of course, you know, me trying to get to the stage and then looking at all these people and seeing people. "Oh, I'm gonna give you a kiss. Muah! Oh hey hey Nicole" you know. She's like "uhhhhh." [laughter]. It's okay. It's okay. I had fun. I had fun.

Jacqueline Stewart 10:09

Yeah, yeah. When you hosted, of course you had your opening monologue.

Whoopi Goldberg 10:16

[2002 Academy sound clip] "The evening darlings. I am the original sexy beast. [laughter and applause] Welcome to the 74th Annual Academy Awards. What a night!"

Jacqueline Stewart 10:33

And then you are also presenting us all of the nominees for 'Best Picture', and some of your comments across the night..really, you know, in a funny way, play up the fact that Hollywood continues to have a diversity problem. You talked about Gosford Park has all of these servants, but none of them. [laughter]

Whoopi Goldberg 10:54

[2002 Academy sound clip] "Yes, second nomination picture, this evening is Gosford Park, a film with 15 maids, butler's, cooks, and chauffeurs and not one of them is black. [laughter]"

Jacqueline Stewart 11:08

Where are the black hobbits? [laughter]

Whoopi Goldberg 11:11

[Oscar sound clip] "And of course you don't remember me from Lord of the Rings because even though it was a three and a half hour movie, part one of a trilogy, there just wasn't room for the black hobbit. [laughter] Or as we were originally called, the blobbits. [laughter]"

Whoopi Goldberg 11:28

This really was a bone of contention for me, because I feel like how do you not have a black hobbit or Asian hobbit? They're not there? Was there not enough room in the Shire for us? [laughter] I think someone needs to make that movie, "Hobbit Goes to Harlem". [laughter]

Jacqueline Stewart 11:55

Of the five best picture nominated movies, there was not a single black actor feature. However, the acting category showcased a historic number of black nominees in the leading roles categories. Back in 1973, at the 45th Academy Awards, there had been a record three black performers nominated for leading roles: Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson for "Sounder" and Diana Ross for "Lady Sings the Blues". But none of them won. In 2002, in addition to Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith were both nominated for their leading roles in "Training Day" and "Ali". But up to that point, no black actor had won in that category since Sidney Poitier's win in 1964 for "Lilies of the Field". Sidney Poitier Heartsong remembers how this weighed on her dad.

Sydney Poitier Heartsong 12:47

He would occasionally sort of vent his frustrations about how long it was taking. I think when he won, he really thought that that door was now open, and that many people would walk through behind him. And so it was like a bit of a lonely road for him because he really, really wanted others to come and join him there. So we were really excited to be there. We were all really nervous, too. Nervous that maybe none of them would win.

Academy Awards Announcer 13:17

[Oscars sound clip] Ladies and gentlemen, Sidney Poitier."

Jacqueline Stewart 13:24

In the first half of the academy award ceremony that evening, Sidney Poitier was given an honorary award for his lifetime of achievement.

Sydney Poitier 13:33

[sound bite - award speech] "I arrived in Hollywood at the age of 22. In a time different than today's. A time in which the odds against my standing here tonight, 53 years later, would not have fallen in my favor.

Sydney Poitier Heartsong 13:52

I remember how he shared his victory with so many people. He wanted everyone to recognize that he wasn't alone in making the career that he had.

Sydney Poitier 14:04

[speech continues] "Were there not an untold number of courageous, unselfish choices made by a handful of visionary American filmmakers, directors, writers and producers."

Sydney Poitier Heartsong 14:20

He had these guiding angels along the way that was willing to take a risk because the times demanded it. And my dad is someone who really sees himself as part of a collective, you know, he really sees himself as, as you know, he sees the interconnectedness of the universe and he would never try to sort of take full credit for the magic that was his career.

Sydney Poitier 14:43

[speech continues] "Finally, to those audience members around the world who have placed their trust in my judgment as an actor and filmmaker. I thank each of you for your support through the years. Thank you."

Jacqueline Stewart 15:01

When we lost Sidney Poitier in January 2022, at the age of 94, one thing that was striking to me is that as people made tributes to him, they spoke about him in exactly the same way they did that night, when he won his honorary award.

Halle Berry 15:17

His courage to stand up and force Hollywood to treat him equally, with dignity and respect. It's allowed me to dream,

Whoopi Goldberg 15:27

The ripples just go on and on and continue to go on. Blazing the trail.

Jacqueline Stewart 15:44

He always carries such incredible elegance and dignity and was always so conscious of his legacy. It didn't take a lot of extra work to honor him, because he had always demanded being honored in that way throughout his career.

Academy Awards 2002 soundbite 16:01

"Good evening, folks. It's my pleasure and privilege to announce the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. The nominees are...."

Jacqueline Stewart 16:09

Toward the end of the evening, the moment that everyone was waiting for...

Academy Awards 2002 soundbite 16:13

"And the Oscar goes to...[pause].....Halle Berry!" "Monster's Ball!" [uproar in applause]

Halle Berry 16:24

I remember very little about, I don't even know how I got to the stage. For me...I must have levitated because all of a sudden I was in my seat. And then I was on the stage. My first memory is looking at Russell Crowe and him telling me, "breathe, mate, breathe." [laughter] And I turned around and I saw the crowd and I realized I had an Oscar in my hand and I realized, oh my god, I won! I'm up here, you know, and because I had no speech, and then I had to realize have to start talking. I have to say something. And I just started talking.

Halle Berry 16:58

[2002 Oscar acceptance speech] "Oh my god! [crying][applause] This moment, so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diane Carroll. It's for the women that stand beside me: Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox, and it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color! Now has a chance, because this door tonight has been opened!" [crying] [long applause]

Jacqueline Stewart 18:09

I think one moment that always stands out to me is that, you know, there's that music that they start up. And you say, "no, no, no, this took 74 years." You have the presence of mind at that moment to say, this is the space for me to.. to really thank people properly.

Halle Berry 18:29

Yes. And it was around that point when my conscious mind started to take over. And I started to realize where I was and what I was doing. And think of those people that were in that room that were supporting me that night that helped me get to this. You know, get to that point. Thank you.

Halle Berry 18:48

[2002 Oscar acceptance speech continued] "OKAY, WAIT A MINUTE. I GOTTA THE TIME. TOOK 74 YEARS HERE. I GOTTA TAKE THIS TIME! I gotta thank my lawyer, Neal Meyer for making this deal. Oprah Winfrey, for being the best role model any girl can have. Joe Silver, thank you. And thank you to Warren Beatty. Thank you so much for being my mentors, and believing in me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!" [applause with music]

Jacqueline Stewart 19:19

At my Oscars party, it was like the roof blew off of our apartment. Everyone went crazy. I had a number of my University of Chicago colleagues at the party, very esteemed Scholars who were flipping out. And I have to say that not everyone at the party had even seen Monster's Ball. They were still so invested in Halle Berry winning this award. And it was amazing to see that Halle Berry recognize people who were watching the nameless, faceless women of color. She had us on her mind, even as we were hooping and hollering for her win.

Jacqueline Stewart 20:03

But years later, Halle would say that winning the Best Actress Award was her greatest heartbreak. Like Sydney, she believed the door was open the night she won. But what actually happened for her, and black artists in Hollywood, after that night?

Jacqueline Stewart 20:31

After Halle Berry became the first black woman to receive the Best Actress Oscar, the night kept going. Denzel Washington won the Best Actor Award. It was presented by Julia Roberts.

Academy Awards 2002 soundbite 20:42

[2002 Julia Roberts announces] "The Oscar goes to. I love my life! Denzel Washington! [applause]

Jacqueline Stewart 20:50

And on the broadcast, we could see Sidney Poitier bending over, mouth open enjoy as the mouthed, "Whoa!"

Halle Berry 20:58

I remember Denzel, he made a joke about he's been chasing my dad for, you know, 40 years,

Academy Awards 2002 soundbite 21:05

[Denzel Washington speech] "40 years I've been chasing Sydney, they finally give it to me. And what they do? They give it to him the same night.[laughter] I'll always be chasing you, Sydney, I'll always be following in your footsteps."

Halle Berry 21:18

Then he finally gets his moment and my dad gets an award on the same night. It was a very, very funny joke.

Jacqueline Stewart 21:25

Whoopi Goldberg remembers the scene after these historic awards were bestowed.

Jacqueline Stewart 21:29

[to Whoopi Goldberg] What was the vibe like at that moment when he won and he and Sydney had this moment of holding their oscars? Up with each other, toasting each other?"

Whoopi Goldberg 21:41

Well, it was like, this is as it should be. This is as it should be. The family's back together. The family's all together. And we have moved into the neighborhood. Here in the neighborhood. Now, we've moved into all the slots we've been in, we're here, you know, and this is a new beginning. You know, and it was, so it was pretty remarkable. And I just was, you know, I was kind of really happy about it. Sad and happy at the same time. You know, cuz he was, well, ego wise, I would have liked to have been the first... I would have liked to have broken that ceiling, you know. But my brain said, well, "it wasn't you! Get it together. Get it together and celebrate who it was." It was like "You're right. You're right."

Jacqueline Stewart 22:50

The wins that night were moments to celebrate. But they also reminded us of all the performers who had not been recognized. Award shows are always bittersweet. There's only one winner. And winning may not always be what it seems. You've been very open in your discussion of the ways in which receiving that Oscar did not have the impact on your career that you expected that it would?

Halle Berry 23:21

Yeah.

Jacqueline Stewart 23:21

And I would love to talk with you about, not so much, you know, the disappointments. But I guess how this has shaped your sense of what an Oscar really means what it should mean, for an artist like yourself?

Halle Berry 23:37

Well, you know what, that's a good question. What should it mean? I know what it does mean. And it means that on that given year, my peers chose me above everyone else, or chose you, whoever the winner is above everyone else in that category and said that we collectively feel you had the best performance, the best effort this year. That's what it means. And that's a true honor to have your peers acknowledge your work that way and for them to collectively agree on you. Because it's hard for people to collectively agree on anything. [laughter] When a group of people collectively agree that this is the best from our professional opinion, us who work within the industry. And we say it's you. That's probably the biggest honor that you can, I think, receive as an artist. And the Academy is the gold standard. And that's what I know it does mean and that's what I know for a fact it does do.

Halle Berry 24:35

Now, the next question is how it affects each person after they win the award actually depends on the choices you make after winning that award, and the opportunities that are there for you. And for me when I won that award 20 years ago. The reality was, there weren't enough scripts and stories written for women of color at that time to benefit now an Oscar winner. The work just wasn't there, the characters, it just wasn't there for me. And I realized that two or three weeks after I won the award when, I joke about it because I have no nothing else to do but joke about it, when the script trucked didn't backup to my house and dump off all these great roles, for now, the Oscar winner. Right, the leading lady Oscar winner. There just were no scripts to support that.

Halle Berry 25:23

And I realized two or three weeks after that, that my battle to find work that supported my win was going to be a formidable one. Right. And I would have to continue the same fight that I had to win that award, I would have to stay on that same path of trying to convince people that I could play certain roles that people thought I couldn't play based on my physical self, beauty, whatever people would think about what I could and couldn't do. And then I would also have to try to convince producers and writers and directors if there were rules that were written for a man or for a white woman, to think about making them, a black woman.

Halle Berry 26:09

Now jumped to now 20 years later, there's so much there's a plethora of stories written today because we have more black screenwriters, we have more female writers, we have more black directors, both male and female, we have more black producers, both male and female, working within the industry, that are singularly focused on creating these opportunities for people of color and for black people. So winning today, I think, I hope, would mean something more tangible in the way of work for, you know, black people when they win the highest award. It's just for me 20 years ago, that just wasn't the case. It just wasn't the case. And I would say that was also the case with Sidney Poitier when he won, you know, the plethora of roles that he should have been afforded, and he should have been able to play didn't exist for him, either.

Jacqueline Stewart 27:02

Right. Because as you say, there were not people of color, behind the scenes in the positions to greenlight projects to create the kinds of roles

Halle Berry 27:11

Exactly, that would mean and even back then there were still even more roles for black men than there were for black women. I remember Diane Carroll telling me that in many conversation I had with her that her challenge was always to make a way out of no way. And she said to me, "and you, my dear are making a way out of no way also." You know, and we shared that knowing that it was very much us as black women making a way out of nowhere.

Jacqueline Stewart 27:39

And I assume this is what has galvanized you to create your own projects and to become a director in your own right.

Halle Berry 27:46

Yes, out of sheer desire to be able to play a diverse characters and not be pigeonholed and not always play the same character over and over.

Jacqueline Stewart 27:58

Halle Berry recently signed a deal with Netflix to produce and star in multiple projects, starting with her directorial debut, "Bruised."

Halle Berry 28:06

[continued conversation] Absolutely. It's it's forced me to produce, it's forced me to have to think outside the box and fight for roles that, you know, allow even like fighting for a role like my character in The Flintstones. That's a cartoon, but at the same time, it was also saying that, you know, women of color and black people should be in Bedrock, we shouldn't be a part of that movie. That's a part of pop culture. That's a part of, you know, our history, our culture, we should be represented there. So even fights like that, that seemed insignificant to me felt very significant, and they felt very significant.

Jacqueline Stewart 28:44

Yeah, that is such a great example because I think black artists are under so much pressure in terms of the decisions that you make about what projects to be a part of. And that's a huge aspect of Sidney Poitier. His legacy is the decisions that he made, but balancing the decisions you make with the opportunities that you get, I mean, what you're saying is that it's much more complex than simply saying yes or no to certain projects, you really have to think about where those opportunities come from in the first place.

Halle Berry 29:13

Exactly.

Jacqueline Stewart 29:14

So our work at the Academy museum involves a lot of careful thinking about how to present and discuss Hollywood history. We are so honored that you and your family came to visit the museum recently. And I wonder if you could talk about the experience of seeing your speech, your acceptance speech as a part of our academy awards history gallery.

Halle Berry 29:38

Lke I was blown away to walk through it for the first time with my daughter and see how it impacted her. But for me to see my speech was moving but it was most moving because I got to see it for the first time in its entirety with my daughter. And she was very moved by the fact that I was so moved and I think that's why she cried because at the end she turned to me and she was crying and I was crying. She said, "I just have one question. Why were you so emotional?" I mean, because before my speech, she had watched other speeches, like we watched, like 10 of them before we got to minE because you have to wait until it organically plays, right? You can't push a button and just see my speech. So we had to watch 10 others. And nobody reacted like that in their speeches, they were all happy. And they had things to say, but like nobody, you know, balled to the point of not being able to speak and so she didn't really understand why I behave that way. She was born in 2008, when Barack Obama became president, so for black people to hold high offices like that, and to be integrated into society, she just couldn't understand that it had taken 74 years for someone to win that award. And that person was me, her mother, that she just sees as regular old crackers. [laughter] She's like, first of all, somebody did it and it was you. [laughter] It gave us a great opportunity to speak about it, and her to understand the magnitude of that moment.

Jacqueline Stewart 31:07

People fantasize about what their Oscar speeches would be, holding whatever, a fork and knife, it's speaking to an imaginary audience. But to think about what that moment means, not just in terms of the possibilities are the lack of possibilities for future work. But how those moments could be read 10 years later, 20 years later, generations later, by people who are learning about the film industry and about film history, for young people to connect to that history, as Halle Berry's daughter did in the Academy Awards history gallery, it gives us a sense of just how important those moments are. Everyone wants to feel a sense of recognition.

Whoopi Goldberg 31:59

It is, you know, it is a celebration of an industry that everybody is interested in. And they want to know, they want to know what so and so is wearing and what's going on in their lives. Every group has its celebrations of the best of, you know, guys who work in banks, they have their best of times. And you know, they all get together and people do it all the time.

Jacqueline Stewart 32:36

Well, as my first and only Oscars party wrapped up, everyone was emotionally spent. I think we all drank a little bit too much that night. And even though we are not filmmakers, we felt a sense of pride of being part of the history being made at the Kodak Theatre, and that Hollywood was making up for years of overlooking black artists. And it was a really powerful reminder that the work of folks in the film industry, the movies they make and the ways filmmakers recognize each other, has tremendous impact on the ways that millions of people look at themselves.

Jacqueline Stewart 33:22

On this season of the academy Museum podcast, "And the Oscar Goes To", we'll hear about the surprises and snubs, the tensions and the glamour, the personal stories and the cultural impact of the Academy Awards. The Academy Museum podcast is written and hosted by me, Jacqueline Stewart.

Credits

Jacqueline Stewart 33:46

This episode was produced by Antonia Cereijido. The Academy Museum podcast team includes Kimberly Stevens, Victoria Alejandro, and Monica Bushman. A special shout out to our team member Taylor Coffman. We are happy you're back home and welcome baby July. The show was a production of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in collaboration with LAist Studios. Mixing and original Music by E. Scott Kelly. Our theme music was composed by Nicholas Britell. Antonia Cereijido and Leo G are the executive producers for LAist Studios. Our Academy Museum website academymuseum.org is designed by Fantasy and developed by Impossible Bureau. Our LAist website laist.com/podcasts is designed by Andy Cheatwood, and the digital and marketing teams at LAist Studios.. The Academy museum marketing team created our branding, thanks to the team at the Academy Museum, including Sean Anderson, Peter Castro, Stephanie Sykes and Matt Younger, and to our academy colleagues, Randy Haberkamp and Claire Lockhart. Thanks also to the team at LAist Studios including Sabir Brara, Kristen Hayford, Kristen Muller, Andy Orozco, Michael Cosentino, and Leo G. Academy Museum digital engagement platforms, including this podcast, are sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.