Film academy makes dramatic rule changes to address diversity
Actor John Krasinski, left, and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announce nominees for the lead actress category.
In a unanimous vote Thursday night, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 51-member board of governors approved a sweeping series of changes designed to diversify its membership, the academy said in a statement Friday.
The board committed to doubling the number of women and minority members in the academy by 2020.
#OscarsSoWhite: Full coverage of the boycott and Hollywood’s reaction
What do you think about the academy’s changes? Weigh in on our Facebook page >>
The swift and drastic change comes in response to a protest over an all-white slate of acting nominees for the second year in a row.
Weeks before there are any winners, we already know that only white actors will take home an Oscar in 2016.
For the last three years, the awards body has been in the midst of a push for more diversity, inviting larger and demographically broader groups to join its 6,261 voting members. But given the size of the academy, and the fact that members belong for life, any change to the organization’s overall demographics had been incremental.
The academy will also launch a campaign to identify and recruit new members who represent greater diversity, the statement said, and will add new members who are not governors to its executive and board committees to influence key decisions about membership.
ALSO:
Why the #OscarsSoWhite fuss matters
#OscarsSoWhite creator on Oscar noms: ‘Don’t tell me that people of color, women cannot fill seats’
Oscar diversity: It’s been 54 years since a Latina took home an Academy Award
‘Aunt Viv’ blasts Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith over Oscars boycott
Marlon Wayans gets funny -- and serious -- with the #OscarsSoWhite boycott
Yes, Stacey Dash, white people do get NAACP Image and BET awards
Why the diversity controversy won’t hurt the Academy Awards’ bottom line
Inside the business of entertainment
The Wide Shot brings you news, analysis and insights on everything from streaming wars to production — and what it all means for the future.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.