The Oscars class of 2020 is larger than usual. Some 819 members have been invited to join the Academy in an attempt to follow through on the body’s commitment to representing a wider range of voices.
Zendaya, Awkwafina and Eva Longoria are among the latest additions to the cohort. Of the invitees, 36 per cent are people of colour, and some 45 per cent are women. Those who accept their invitation will be part of the voting body at this year’s Oscars.
President of the Academy, David Rubin, has said that the Oscars is “delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travellers in the motion picture arts and sciences”. The most recent invitations are part of a five-year plan, which includes inclusion standards for nominees.
The list of 2020 invitees includes professionals from all parts of the industry. Actors including Brian Tyree Henry, Florence Pugh and Beanie Feldstein have been invited to join, and directors Lulu Wan, Terence Davies and Matthew Vaughn have also been included on the list. Costume designers and marketing experts have also been invited.
Earlier this year, the Academy announced plans to expand their Best Picture category to ten films, in the hope that more diverse films will receive nominations.
Dawn Hudson, the CEO of the Academy, wrote that: “We look forward to continuing to foster an Academy that reflects the world around us in our membership, our programs, our new Museum, and in our awards.”
The Academy has over 8,000 voting members, and in the past three years some 2,000 new members have joined.
The 93rd Academy Awards are planned for 25 April 2021, following a coronavirus related delay.
