J.K. Rowling and Kumail Nanjiani are among the Motion Picture Academy's 928 new members
Just about a year ago, the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences brought in 774 new members as part of a conscious attempt to introduce more diversity to its ranks, all in hopes of avoiding another #OscarsSoWhite controversy. The Academy’s membership includes people from all across the movie-making industry, like PR people and hairstylists along with actors and directors, and they’re the ones who vote on Academy Awards categories relevant to their occupation. Just in terms of actors, last year’s new members featured huge names like Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson, the famous Marvel guys named Chris, and Donald Glover, along with certified hitmakers like Jordan Peele and Barry Jenkins.
This year, the Academy is trying even harder to introduce some new blood, with a record-breaking 928 people receiving invites to become members. Deadline has broken down the massive list, and it says 49 percent of the new members are women and 38 percent are people of color. Like last year, a lot of the newcomers are actors, writers, and directors who blew up in the past 12 months (at least in terms of movies), like Kumail Nanjiani, Andy Muschietti, Luca Guadagnino, Evan Rachel Wood, Daisy Ridley, Alison Brie, Tiffany Haddish, Sufjan Stevens, Kendrick Lamar, Ann Dowd, Timothée Chalamet, and Mindy Kaling.
Other newbies in various categories include J.K. Rowling, Jonathan Nolan, Quvenzhané Wallis, Benedict Wong, Rashida Jones, Hannibal Buress, Jennifer Grey, Miles Teller, Chloë Grace Moretz, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Andre Braugher, and Yoko Kanno (the soundtrack composer for Cowboy Bebop, which is very cool). Some actors from Game Of Thrones and Simpsons casts have joined as well, which seems like a peace offering to the TV world.
You can see the very long list of new members at Deadline.