After taking a lot of heat over the past two years for blindingly-white nomination choices in the Oscar’s acting categories, The Academy has announced its 2016 voting class featuring lots of diversity.
The Academy is making it clear that they’re making a big effort to diversify. At the top of a new page about the 683 people who were invited to join the Class of 2016, the organization notes that their new members are 46% female and 41% people of color. There are also 283 international members from 59 countries. This brings the overall class to 27% female (up from 25%) and 11% people of color (up from 8%):
So who’s in this diversified class? Here are just a few of the actors: Mahershala Ali (Mockingjay), John Boyega (Star Wars), Chadwick Boseman (Civil War), Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), America Ferrera (César Chávez), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Daniel Dae Kim (Insurgent), and Regina King (Ray).
Of course, there are plenty of white people being added too. This year’s class adds Patti LuPone (Driving Miss Daisy), Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Tom Hiddleston (Thor), Brie Larson (Room), Rachel McAdams (Spotlight), and Kate Beckinsale (Love & Friendship) are just a few names on the list.
You can see a complete list of new class members (many of whom work behind the camera) over on the Oscar website.
This is the largest class The Academy has ever inducted, and while there are only small jumps in diversity in terms of the overall percentages, it looks like The Academy might be aiming to take small steps year over year.
Will this injection of diversity help sway this year’s nominations and winners? Only time will tell.