Lois Burwell Resigns From Film Academy’s Board of Governors (Exclusive)

Lois Burwell Resigns From Film Academy’s Board of Governors (Exclusive)

Lois Burwell, the veteran makeup artist who won an Oscar for her work on Braveheart and has collaborated on numerous occasions with Steven Spielberg, has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences‘ board of governors, citing personal reasons, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Burwell was first elected to represent the makeup and hairstyling branch on the board in 2015 (and, for a period beginning in 2017, also served as a vice president of the organization). Her departure was announced in an email to members of that branch sent on Wednesday afternoon by the two makeup and hairstyling branch governors alongside whom Burwell served this term, Howard Berger and Linda Flowers.

When an Academy governor steps down mid-term, according to Academy bylaws, the remainder of that governor’s term is filled by the person who finished immediately behind him or her in the preceding election for that position. In their missive, Berger and Flowers revealed that Burwell’s runner-up was and replacement will be Gerald Quist, a five-time Emmy winner whose film credits include Mr. Holland’s Opus and The Jackal.

The full text of the email appears below.

Dear Makeup and Hairstyling Branch members,

We are writing to share that Lois Burwell has resigned from the Academy Board of Governors due to personal reasons, effective immediately. We wish Lois the best and sincerely thank her for her commitment to our branch and her many years of service to the Academy.

Per the Academy’s bylaws, should any vacancy occur in the Board of Governors due to the resignation of a governor before the end of that governor’s term, that vacancy will be filled until the end of that governor’s term by the second-place finisher for that position in the immediately preceding election for that position. We are pleased to share Gerald Quist will serve as our new branch governor, effective immediately, and will serve out the remainder of the term, which ends in the summer of 2027.

We hope you can all join us on Saturday, March 1 at the Academy Museum for our annual Oscars Season: Nominees Spotlight program celebrating the five nominated achievements.

All the best,
Howard and Linda