The Academy of motion pictures on Monday, June 25 published its list of new members, who have received invites to join the Academy. The list, which comprises 928 members sets the record as the highest year in number of membership.
The list of new invitees ranges from Oscar winning actresses and nominees such as, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Quvenzhane Wallis, Shailene Woodley, Timothee Chalamet and more for the Actors branch. 17 been Oscar winners and 92 Oscar nominees making a total of 168 new members, the most of any branch this year.
Forty-nine percent of the class of 2018 are females. Thirty-eight percent of the new invitees are people of color. Ten of the invitees were invited by more than one branch and can decide which one to affiliate with. Sean Baker of the Florida project was invited to join both the directors and writers branch. Kumail Nanjiani of the Big Sick got tapped by both actors and writers.
At the directors’ branch front, directors of the 2018 Oscar best picture nominated movie such as, Craig Gillespie of I,Tonya and Luca Guadagnino of Call me by Your Name also received invites. Meanwhile, the executive branch sent out 41 invitations, which include offers to Tony Vinciquerra, Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman; Wang Zhongjun, co-founder of China’s Huayi Brothers Media.
Jada Pinkett Smith, who called for a boycott of the 2016 Oscars has, however been called to join the actors branch this year. One may recall that the Academy was backlashed at the 87th Oscars for the all-white actors nominees with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. The repetition of the same incident in 2016 put added pressure on the organization to redouble their efforts, which has led to the thirty-eight percent of invitees this year been people of color.
Each of the Academy’s 17 branches draws its own list of new members, and candidates must be sponsored by two members of the branch they will be invited to join. The general requirement is that a candidate must have demonstrated exceptional achievement in the field of theatrical motion pictures, although each branch has its own specific requirements. Actors for example, must have a millennium of three theatrical features under their belt, while directors must have a minimum of two helming credits.
Academy Awards nominees are automatically considered for membership, although an invite is not guaranteed.
