Oscars offer ‘deepest apologies’ for ‘devastating’ mix-up

While paying tribute to film industry figures who’d passed away in the last 12 months, a slide featuring the late costume designer Janet Patterson was accidentally accompanied by a picture of Australian film producer Jan Chapman.

The mix-up didn’t go unnoticed, particularly by many from the film biz Down Under – and has seen the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences express their ‘deepest apologies’ in a statement on Wednesday.

‘We sincerely apologize to producer Jan Chapman, whose photo was mistakenly used in the Oscars In Memoriam tribute for her colleague and dear friend, the late Janet Patterson,’ they wrote on Instagram.

‘Janet, an Academy member and four-time Oscar-nominated costume designer, was beloved in our community.

‘We extend our deepest apologies and condolences to the Patterson family.’

Costume designer Janet Patterson died in October last year (Picture: YouTube)

Since the ceremony, the correct image of Patterson has been updated in an online video tribute and photo gallery on the Oscars website.

Patterson, a four-time Oscar nominee who worked on films including Portrait Of A Lady and The Piano, died in October last year.

In a statement to Variety, Chapman was left ‘devastated’ by the mistake.

The In Memoriam error was followed by the even bigger Best Picture faux pas between La La Land and Moonlight (Picture: AFP PHOTO / MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

‘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,’ she said.

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/01/oscars-offer-their-deepest-apologies-for-devastating-in-memoriam-photograph-mix-up-6482703/#mv-b