March 29 (UPI) -- Despite its accountant's infamous Oscar flub, PricewaterhouseCoopers will retain its high-profile position overseeing balloting for the Academy Awards, the group's president said Wednesday.
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said in a letter to members the academy would retain PwC, though the two partners who were on hand for the memorably painful ceremony in February will be barred from participating in next year's show.
PwC accountant Brian Cullinan, one of two firm partners backstage keeping watch on the sealed envelopes containing the winners, handed Best Picture presenter Warren Beatty the wrong envelope, leading his partner Faye Dunaway to announce La La Land as the winner, when in fact Academy members had voted for Moonlight. La La Land's producers were a full two minutes into euphoric acceptance speeches before they were stopped and the mistake was corrected.
In addition to two new PwC accountants backstage, a third will be stationed in the control booth with show producers as an additional safeguard. Also, none of the accountants will be permitted to carry electronic devices.
Culligan had posted a photo on social media of Best Actress winner Emma Stone moments before the gaffe, leading many to suggest he was distracted when he handed Beatty the wrong envelope.
The day after the mistake, PricewaterhouseCoopers released a statement apologizing for the "human error."
