Aussie Film Producer Accidentally Killed Off In Oscars 'In Memoriam' Segment

28 February 2017 | 9:44 am | Staff Writer

"I am alive and well and an active producer."

Just when you thought that Best Picture bungle was bad enough, people have quickly noted that it wasn't the only huge mistake made at the Oscars last night: yep, The Academy accidentally killed off a very much alive Australian film producer during their In Memoriam segment.

While paying tribute to four-time Oscar-nominated Australian costume designer Janet Patterson, who passed away in October last year, a photo of still-alive, still-working producer Jan Chapman was used. 

Speaking to Variety, Chapman said, "I was devastated by the use of my image in place of my great friend and long-time collaborator Janet Patterson. I had urged her agency to check any photograph which might be used and understand that they were told that the Academy had it covered.

"Janet was a great beauty and four-time Oscar nominee and it is very disappointing that the error was not picked up. I am alive and well and an active producer."

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The pair had worked together on the film The Piano.

The In Memoriam segment has also drawn criticism from Patricia Arquette for omitting her late sister Alexis Arquette, who passed away last September.

She told Entertainment Tonight, "Alexis was a great actor, and had 70 credits, and was really brave to live her truth as a trans woman, and they didn’t include her in the memorial … I think that was a real slight to the trans community."