Movie academy invites 928 new members in diversity push

FAN Editor
FILE PHOTO: Host Haddish accepts the award for Best Comedic Performance at the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica
FILE PHOTO: Host Tiffany Haddish accepts the award for Best Comedic Performance. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

June 25, 2018

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The group that hands out the Oscars said on Monday that it had invited 928 new members from 59 countries, in its biggest diversity drive after years of criticism of its mostly white and male membership.

Those invited include “Girls Trip” star Tiffany Haddish; “The Big Sick” co-writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon; and comedian and actor Dave Chappelle, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement.

If all those invited accept, female membership would rise to 31 percent from the current 28 percent, the group said. People of color will increase to 16 percent from 13 percent.

Total membership would stand at more than 7,000 actors, writers, directors, executives and others.

A lack of diversity within the academy has long been cited as a barrier to racial inclusion in Hollywood’s highest honors. In 2016, the Academy responded by pledging to double female and minority membership by 2020.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Richard Chang)

Free America Network Articles

Leave a Reply

Next Post

Europe to retaliate if U.S. imposes auto tariffs: France

FILE PHOTO: French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire arrives to attend a visit at the STX shipyard site in Saint-Nazaire, France, June 14, 2018. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe June 25, 2018 PARIS (Reuters) – Europe will hit back if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to slap import tariffs […]