Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Invites 928 Members, Reflects Push for Diversity
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed that they are inviting 928 potential new members, reflecting the organization's push for diversity.
According to ABC News, the upcoming members of the Academy came from 59 different countries. The group is made up of 49 percent female. Also, 38 percent of them are people of color.
The report also mentioned that if all the inductees will join the organization, the membership population of the Academy will be composed of 31 percent female, and 16 percent of which are made up of people of color. Before this, the representation of female is just 28 percent while the people of color in the institution is only 13 percent.
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Among the new inductees include actresses Mindy Kaling, Tiffany Haddish, Blake Lively, Lily James, Olivia Munn, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, Daisy Ridley, Gina Rodriguez, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sarah Silverman, Amber Tamblyn, Evan Rachel Wood, Danai Gurira, Eva Green, Jennifer Grey, as well as Oscar nominees Kumail Nanjiani and Timothee Chalamet.
Producers like J. Miles Dale, who won the Best Picture with Guillermo del Toro for "The Shape of Water," as well as Sean McKittrick, known for "Get Out," and Nichole Rocklin, known for "Spotlight," are also invited to become this year's Academy inductees.
Directors Dave Chappelle and Michel Gondry, as well as actors Kal Penn, Pedro Pascal, Damon Wayans, Randall Park, Mekhi Phifer, Roger Guenveur Smith, Michael K. Williams, and Miles Teller also received invitations to join the Academy.
Variety mentioned that the number of invited individuals to become this year's inductees is the biggest so far. Last year, the Academy incurred 774 new members, while 685 members joined in 2016.
It is also mentioned that the increase of the Academy's membership to over 9,200 members is the result of the organization's effort to have more representation from different sectors and races among its ranks after the criticisms about the lack of African-American nominees for the 2015 and 2016 Oscar Awards, causing the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in 2016.
