The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has invited 487 artists and executives to join its ranks, including notable names such as Jessica Alba, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Catherine O’Hara, and S.S. Rajamouli, the director of “RRR.” This brings the total membership to 10,910, with 9,934 eligible to vote for the upcoming 97th Oscars in 2025.
The new invitees comprise 44% women and 41% from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, marking significant increases from previous years. The branches of actors, casting directors, costume designers, documentary, executives, makeup artists, and hairstylists have all invited more women than men, while the actors, directors, documentary, and writers branches mainly include artists from underrepresented communities.
Academy– Notable Invited Members:
Actors:
- Jessica Alba – “Machete,” “Frank Miller’s Sin City”
- Lily Gladstone – “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “The Unknown Country”
- Greta Lee – “Past Lives,” “Gemini”
- Catherine O’Hara – “For Your Consideration,” “Best in Show”
- Sandra Hüller – “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest”
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph – “The Holdovers,” “Dolemite Is My Name”
- Kate Mara – “Megan Leavey,” “The Martian”
Directors:
- Lila Avilés – “Totem,” “The Chambermaid”
- Alice Diop – “Saint Omer,” “We”
- A.V. Rockwell – “A Thousand and One”
- Emma Seligman – “Bottoms,” “Shiva Baby”
- Angel Manuel Soto – “Blue Beetle,” “Charm City Kings”
- S.S. Rajamouli – “RRR,” “Eega”
Producers:
- Tom Ackerley – “Barbie,” “I, Tonya”
- Nadim Cheikhrouha – “Four Daughters,” “The Man Who Sold His Skin”
- Jennifer Davisson – “Robin Hood,” “Live by Night”
- Fernanda De la Peza – “The Hole in the Fence,” “Robe of Gems”
Music:
- Michael K. Bauer – “Cassandro,” “The Equalizer 3”
- Stephen Bray – “The Color Purple,” “Psycho III”
- Simon Franglen – “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “The Magnificent Seven”
- Martin Phipps – “Napoleon,” “The Princess”
Documentary Filmmakers:
- Trish Adlesic – “The ABCs of Book Banning,” “Gasland”
- Waad Al-Kateab – “We Dare to Dream,” “For Sama”
- Rachel Lears – “To the End,” “Knock Down the House”
- Sergei Loznitsa – “Babi Yar. Context,” “Mr. Landsbergis”
Executives:
- Duncan Crabtree-Ireland – Chief negotiator for the main SAG-AFTRA contract
- Tim League – Founder of Alamo Drafthouse
- Iris Knobloch – President of Cannes
- Dan Friedkin – Co-founder of 30West
- Peter Safran – Co-head of DC Studios
Additional Highlights:
- Bahrām Beyzaie (“When We Are All Asleep”), İlker Çatak (“The Teachers’ Lounge”), Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”), Celine Song (“Past Lives”), and Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”) were invited to multiple branches and must select one upon accepting membership.
- Last year, the Academy invited 398 new members, including Taylor Swift, Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan, nominee Austin Butler, and “RRR” stars Ram Charan and NTR Jr.
“We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of new members to the Academy,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “These remarkably talented artists and professionals from around the world have made a significant impact on our filmmaking community.”
With the addition of the new member class, the Academy now includes 35% women, 20% from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities, and 20% from countries and territories outside the U.S.
The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, featuring a diverse array of possible award contenders, including blockbuster films like “Dune: Part Two,” star-studded performances from Lady Gaga in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” and works from renowned auteurs like Steve McQueen’s “Blitz.”
