Amy Pascal will step down as co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment after hackers angry about a movie she championed mocking North Korea¡¯s dictator exposed a raft of embarrassing emails between Pascal and other Hollywood figures.

One of the most powerful women executives in Hollywood, Pascal had kept a low profile since her emails were leaked by hackers and widely reported by the media, particularly one in which she made racially insensitive remarks about President Barack Obama¡¯s taste in films.

Sony Pictures said Pascal will step down from her current post in May to launch her own production venture on the studio lot with its financial backing.