Oscars: Kajol, Suriya Sivakumar, Reema Kagti among the new Film Academy members; details inside

Around 397 people across the globe have been invited to be a part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year.

Kajol, Suriya Sivakumar, Reema Kagti

About 397 people in the world's film industry have received invitations to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Newly minted Oscar winners Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (music branch) and Ariana DeBose and Troy Kotsur (actors) are among those who will going forward be able to vote for the Oscar nominations and winners if they accept, as the vast majority of people who have been invited historically have done; Paramount chief Brian Robbins and Disney general entertainment chief Dana Walden (executives); and film critic Leonard Maltin (members-at-large).

According to the Academy's breakdown (54 different countries are represented), 44 percent of the new invitees are women, 37 percent are non-white, and 50 percent are not Americans. The Academy's entire membership will be 34% female, 19% non-white, and 23% non-American if they all choose to join.

Three branches invited more non-whites than whites (directors, documentary), seven branches invited more women than men (actors, casting directors, costume designers, documentary, makeup artists/hairstylists, marketing/public relations, and producers), and nine branches invited more non-Americans than Americans (actors, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, makeup artists/hairstylists, producers, short films/feature animation, and visual effects).

The number of invitations this year is two more than it was last year, which was by far the least since the #OscarsSoWhite controversy spurred significant growth in the organisation. The branch of short films and feature animation received the most invitations (41), followed by the branch of documentaries (38) and the actor branch (30).

Notable artists from India, namely Kajol and Suriya Sivakumar, among actors; filmmaker Reema Kagti; documentary helmer Rintu Thomas of Writing with Fire fame; and more are invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In addition to Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Jessie Buckley, Gaby Hoffmann, Robin de Jesus, Vincent Lindon, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Anya Taylor-Joy, notable directors Reinaldo Marcus Green, Traci A. Curry, and Ben Proudfoot, producers Tim White and Trevor White, and writers Zach Baylin and Jeremy O. Harris have also been invited to join the Academy this year.

Sheryl Lee Ralph (actress), Amy Seimetz (director), Scott Foundas (executive), Craig Mazin, Alex Ross Perry, and Katie Silberman (writers), and George Drakoulias (members-at-large) are seasoned professionals of the entertainment industry who received invites unrelated to current productions.

DDA CEO Dana Archer, Amazon Awards Chief Debra Birnbaum, International Features Specialist Tatiana Detlofson, Personal Reps Sheri Goldberg and Jessica Kolstad, Apple TV+ Awards Chief Gina Pence (who was instrumental in CODA's successful Oscar campaign), Focus Features Executive VP Publicity Stephanie Phillips, and Shelter PR EVP Awards and Events Jerry Roj were among those invited to join the marketing and public relations branch.

Several people, including Ryusuke Hamaguchi (director/writer of Drive My Car), Sian Heder (director/writer of CODA), and Jonas Poher Rasmussen (director/documentary of Flee), were invited to join multiple branches but will have to choose one.

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