Academy Invites 529 New Members to Oscar Voting Body
The Film Academy is doubling its size from a decade ago, with this year's new class bringing membership closer to gender parity and greater international representation.
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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited 529 new members Wednesday to join the Oscar voting body, a historic expansion that will push total membership close to double what it was ten years ago.
The new class includes actors Teyana Taylor (nominated for her role in "One Battle After Another"), Josh O'Connor, Jenna Ortega, Jacob Elordi, and Simu Liu. If all nominees accept, the Academy will have 11,319 members total, with 10,338 holding voting rights—a dramatic shift from 2016, when the Academy had roughly 6,000 members.
The expansion is a direct response to the #OscarsSoWhite movement that erupted in 2015, when all 20 nominees in acting categories were white people. That year, the Academy was 75% men and 92% white. This year's expansion will shift those numbers significantly: 64% men and 75% white members Academy-wide. The new class itself is 42% women, 56% from underrepresented communities, and 53% from countries outside the United States.
International representation has grown too. Foreign members now represent 22% of the voting body. "Selection of members is based on professional criteria, with ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority," the Academy stated.
Recent years saw larger class sizes—last year, 534 voters were added—but growth has moderated somewhat. The Academy has also added new award categories: earlier this year, the inaugural award for ensemble cast went to Cassandra Kulukundis for "One Battle After Another". In 2028, the first Oscar honouring stunt design achievements will be awarded.
Other newly invited members include Anthony Ramos, Bill Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, Jemaine Clement, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, and Stephen Fry. Filmmakers invited include Josh and Benny Safdie, Zach Cregger (director of "Disappearance Hour"), and Oliver Laxe (director of "Sirât: the bridge"). The 99th Academy Awards ceremony will take place March 14, 2027, with Conan O'Brien returning as host for the third consecutive year.
