The USC School of Cinematic Arts has announced that Miky Lee will deliver the 20024 Commencement address.
James Gray, director, writer, and SCA alumnus, will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award at the graduation ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium on Friday, May 10, 2024.
“Miky Lee is a true pioneer and ambassador of collaborative global filmmaking, and we are so happy to have her share her insight and expertise with our graduating students,” Elizabeth M. Daley, Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, said in a statement. “Miky works across borders, cultures, and genres, and champions the kinds of projects our students aspire to creating. We are so pleased she agreed to be this year’s graduation speaker.”
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SCA alumnus Jon M. Chu, who graduated in 2003 with a BFA in film & television production, will speak at this year’s main, university-wide commencement ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at Alumni Park.
As Commencement Speaker, Lee joins a recent list of celebrated entertainment figures including Brian Grazier and Ron Howard, Matt Reeves, Ryan Coogler, Jon M. Chu, Paul Feig, Jim Gianopulos, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Donna Langley, Barry Meyer, Ron Meyer, Sumner Redstone, Jay Roach, Stacey Sher and Laura Ziskin.
The Mary Pickford Alumni Award pays tribute to USC alumni whose achievements bring special distinction to the School and to the industry. Previous recipients of the honor include Prentice Penny, Kevin Feige, William Fraker, Conrad L. Hall, Ray Harryhausen, Alan Ladd Jr., Jon Laudau, Michelle Manning, Walter Murch, Shonda Rhimes, Jay Roach, Gary Rydstrom, Stacey Sher, John Singleton, Lee Unkrich, Matthew Weiner, David L. Wolper, Brian Grazer, Robert Zemeckis, Laura Ziskin, Melissa Rosenberg, Susan Downey, Jennifer and Suzanne Todd, Amanda Silver, Leslie Iwerks, and last year’s recipient Tracy Oliver.
Separately, USC confirmed that their 2024 valedictorian speech had been canceled after Muslim student Asna Tabassum was accused of being antisemitic.
The university cites safety concerns over banning Tabassum from delivering her graduation speech.
“While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety,” Provost Andrew Guzman said in a statement. “This decision is not only necessary to maintain the safety of our campus and students, but is consistent with the fundamental legal obligation — including the expectations of federal regulators — that universities act to protect students and keep our campus community safe.”
Guzman continued, “It applies the same values and criteria that we have used in the past to guide our actions. In no way does it diminish the remarkable academic achievements of any student considered or selected for valedictorian. To be clear: this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period.”
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It’s USC’s party. They’re under no obligation to have any valedictorian speak, especially if it’s within a stone’s throw of hate speech.
Except she hadn’t even written her speech when they said she couldn’t speak. so it’s purely based on her ethnicity/religion/beliefs. which is wrong. if her speech was written and they didn’t approve that’d be different but they made this decision based on racist & bigoted response. if it were a white person there wouldn’t be as much vitriol. shouldn’t be silencing voices regardless of if their repu license, democratic, independent etc. but go off with your ill-informed opinion
This absolute nonsense and racism. They should let her speak, she is standing up for humanity and all of those in Gaza who are being slaughtered mercilessly by the zionist, terrorist state of Isreal.
It wasn’t due to threats. It was because that valedictorian calls for the complete abolishment of Israel. Ie she spews hate speech.
She never called for that liar, she shared a link 3 years ago to help the people of Palestine. Anti Muslim propaganda doesn’t work anymore. No one should be allowed to speak if one voice is silenced.
Not a duplicate comment!!!.
She never called for that liar, she shared a link 3 years ago to help the people of Palestine. Anti Muslim propaganda doesn’t work anymore. No one should be allowed to speak if one voice is silenced.
That’s simply not true, she’s never said that. But it’s definitely what some groups want you to believe because to them, any criticism of Israel’s policies is the same as calling for the abolishment of Israel. It is THOSE groups who are being intolerant.
“…the complete abolishment of the state of Israel…” That’s a direct quote from her social media. No place for that kind of hatred at a graduation speech. Save it for a bridge you’re blocking.
No, sorry. She has explicitly said she is calling for Israel to no longer exist. Explicitly.
I hear you, lots of people think lots of things sound anti-semetic when they are not, but in this case, her rhetoric ACTUALLY is.
Also. If I said something like “all lives matter” and was educted to the fact that this is undermining to the Black community, I would stop saying it. When Jewish groups say “From the river to the sea.” is antisemetic, people say “No it’s not.” That’s not cool or acceptable. Why does one group get to correct dangerous speech while another does not. (** and no, the valedictorian’s words are not grey, they are specific and antisemetic.)
She shared a post calling for the “Complete abolishment of the state of Israel”. She was interviewed on CNN and specifically asked about whether she agrees with the post she shared and her best response to being accused of advocating for genocide was to accuse Israel of being an apartheid state. She didn’t try to disagree with the statement, just justify it. It’s on CNN, you don’t have to take my word for it. Go look it up.
So… Yea, it’s exactly true.
She had an opportunity to build bridges and instead did the best job on the planet of justifying why USC said, “nah”.
Check out her social media, Anon 10. It’s all there.
Well that was a PR out for USC – screams “how can we message this?”
It’s really unsafe to speak up against genocide. Silence always works out much better.
OP. You don’t understand what “genocide” means. There is no wholesale extermination of a people happening in Gaza.
On the other hand, this woman (and her Hamas buddies) call for the complete destruction of Israel and the death of millions of Jews. That is advocating for genocide.
Words matter. I suggest you learn what they mean.
Exactly, and as soon as there is another genocide happening in the world we all need to speak up.
You people need to stop abusing the word genocide.