The Academy of Motion Picture has announced significant changes will be made in order to make the Academy more diverse.
In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved a series of changes that will be designed to make the Academy's membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members “significantly” more diverse.
We’re making changes. New Academy membership and voting diversity initiatives announced today. https://t.co/Arna4YvgY1
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 22, 2016
The announcement comes in the wake of public backlash of the 2016 Oscar nominees being all white actors or actresses in the top four categories. For the second year in a row, nominees for best lead actor, best lead actress, best supporting actor, and best supporting actress were all caucasian.
“The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs in a press release Friday.
“These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition.”
The Academy says they will be launching a global campaign to identify and recruit new members who represent greater diversity. This process of diversifying will begin immediately by establishing three new governor seats nominated by the President for a three-year term.
Hollywood celebrities have shared their views of the lack of diversity of the Oscar nominees. One of the most outspoken has been Jada Pinkett Smith, who shared a video on her Facebook page suggesting the Academy is biased.
We must stand in our power!We must stand in our power.
Posted by Jada Pinkett Smith on Monday, January 18, 2016
Friday, Smith shared her gratitude for the steps the Academy has chosen to take on her Twitter page.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Academy, specifically Cheryl Boone Isaacs, (pt 1)
— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) January 20, 2016
for such a quick response in regard to the issue at hand. I look forward to the future. (pt 2)
— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) January 20, 2016
The Academy’s goal is to double numbers of diverse members by 2020.
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