Among those names recognized in the academy’s tribute to those who have passed away in the last year was costume designer Janet Patterson. This four-time Oscar nominee did die in her native Australia on Oct. 21, 2016. But the montage showed a photo of Jan Chapman, who is very much alive.
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The two women did work together on “The Piano,” the 1994 film by Jane Campion that won Oscars for lead Holly Hunter and supporting player Anna Paquin. Patterson reaped her first Oscar bid for that film and followed with two more for Campion projects — “The Portrait of a Lady” (1996) and “Bright Star (2010) as well as Gillian Armstrong‘s “Oscar and Lucinda” (1997).
Oscars: Complete list of winners (and nominees)
In a statement 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.”
