Oscar awards body aims to increase diversity

Women and ethnic minorities targeted in latest round of invitations

by Amber Wilkinson

Daniel Kaluuya in Black Panther
Daniel Kaluuya in Black Panther Photo: Marvel Studios
Oscars body the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continued its drive for better diversity with its latest round of invitations.

Stars and executives asked to be part of the awards body include Welsh star Taron Egerton, Black Panther's Daniel Kaluuya and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

The Academy, which plans to double the number of women and ethnic minority voters by 2020, also invited Girls Trip star Tiffany Haddish, writer/actor/producer Dave Chappelle, The Big Sick's Kumail Nanjiani, and Timothée Chalamet, the French star of Call Me By Your Name, to join its ranks.

The organisation, which has faced a wave of criticism from the #OscarsSoWhite and #MeToo movements, says that 49 per cent of the new members are women and 38 per cent people of colour.

Other female actors on the list include Amy Schumer, Jada Pinkett Smith and Ann Dowd - along with the youngest invitee, Quvenzhané Wallis, 14. Directors invited include The Rider's Chloé Zhao, Sean Baker (The Florida Project) and Justin Simien (Dear White People).

If everyone who has received an invite accepts, the female membership will be up to 31 per cent, from 25 per cent in 2015, while ethnic minority representation will have doubled from eight per cent to 16 per cent.

Share this with others on...
News

Coppola, the fearless, has no regrets Megalopolis director values friendship more than personal fortune

Miller still a playful child at heart Furiosa director on the joys of technology, creating legends and eternal curiosity

Status 'protected' Cannes star Léa Seydoux 'From the beginning I worked with people who respected me - more or less'

On reflection Sav Rodgers on Ben Affleck, Kevin Smith, coming of age on camera and Chasing Chasing Amy

Meryl crowned Queen of the Croisette Honorary Palme for Hollywood royalty as Cannes crowds and first nighters go wild for Streep

More news and features

We're bringing you all the excitement of the world's most celebrated film festival direct from Cannes



We're looking forward to Inside Out, the Muslim International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, Docs Ireland and the Fantasia International Film Festival.



We've recently covered Fantaspoa, Queer East, Visions du Réel, New Directors/New Films, the Overlook Film Festival, BFI Flare, the Glasgow Short Film Festival and SXSW.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

More competitions coming soon.