Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Amy Pascal whose emails about Adam Sandler, Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio were hacked, steps down

SONY Pictures Entertainment co-chair Amy Pascal, whose embarrassing emails on Hollywood stars were leaked in a hack attack, is stepping down.

“Stepping down” ... Amy Pascal, Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman, who had her emails which heavily criticised Hollywood stars leaked in the hacking attack on the company. Picture: Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP

SONY Pictures Entertainment co-chair Amy Pascal, whose embarrassing emails were leaked in a hack attack on the Hollywood studio, is stepping down.

Pascal — widely regarded as one of the most powerful women in Hollywood — was forced to apologise in December for the emails, including one which saw her swap racially insensitive jokes about President Barack Obama.

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Not happy, Jan ... Angelina Jolie greets Amy Pascalafter the email in which Pascal called jolie a “spoiled brat” was made public. Picture: Alex J. Berliner / ABImages via AP

A Sony statement said she would launch a “major new production venture” at the studio, which was rocked by the hacking centred on the controversial North Korea satire The Interview.

“I am energised to be starting this new chapter based at the company I call home,” Pascal said in a company statement.

“I have always wanted to be a producer.”

Quartz reported the announcement is “standard operating procedure for almost all departing move and TV studio and network chiefs”.

Demeaned by Pascal in email hacked and made public ... Adam Sandler in a scene from 2008 film You Don't Mess With The Zohan.

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The Interview was originally scheduled for a Christmas Day release, before Sony became the target of the biggest cyberattack in US corporate history.

Threats made by hackers prompted Sony to initially cancel the film’s theatrical release.

It was eventually screened in select art house cinemas, and released on the internet and via cable TV providers.

Washington blamed North Korea for the hack on Sony — a claim Pyongyang has denied while still strongly condemning the film, which features a fictional plot to assassinate leader Kim Jong-un.

The Interview, which had a $44 million budget, has since become Sony’s highest-grossing online film ever, reportedly recently passing the $40 million mark on the internet and other small-screen formats.

Details of Pascal’s new venture were due to be announced “shortly,” Sony said.