ABC/Rick Rowell(LOS ANGELES) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that it will invite 928 new members to join its ranks, and those members hail from 59 different countries.
The move could address criticisms which have plagued the organization since both the 2015 #OscarsSoWhite controversy, and last year’s #OscarsSoMale complaint over the lack nominated female directors.
Indeed, 49% of the latest invitees are female. If all of them accept, it would boost the Academy’s female makeup from 28% to 31%. In addition, 38% of the invitees are people of color, which would raise minority representation in the organization from 13% to 16%.
The youngest person to be invited — Beasts of the Southern Wild star and past Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis — is 14; the oldest is 86.
Some of the others invited to join include funnymen Hannibal Burress and Dave Chappelle; Mindy Kaling and her Office co-star Rashida Jones; Tiffany Haddish and her Girl’s Trip co-star Regina Hall; Corey Hawkins from Straight Outta Compton, and Sofia Boutella from Kingsman and Star Trek Beyond.
The complete list can be found here.
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