Thursday, March 28, 2024

Oscars: A Flood of Black Actors, Directors Etc Invited to Join Academy of Motion Pictures! (Finally)

Share

Loretta Devine has been asked to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She’s one of many non white actors who’ve been invited today, and it’s about time!

The numbers went up 46% among women and 41% among people of color.

Among the directors: Melvin van Peebles. How is it that Melvin van Peebles was never in the Academy? Shocking!

Among the others: America Ferrara, Dennis Haysbert, Chadwick Boseman, John Boyega, Morris Chestnut, Carmen Ejogo, Idris Elba, Vivica A. Fox, Luis Guzman, Ice Cube, Regina King, Michael B, Jordan, Adepero Oduye, Harold Perrineau, Michelle Rodriguez, Anika Noni Rose, Glynn Turman, Marlon Wayans, Damon Wayans Jr., Keenan Ivory Wayans (directors branch), Mahershala Ali, Gabrielle Union and Lorraine Toussaint. Nia Long is in. Freida Pinto — you mean she wasn’t asked right after “Slumdog Millionaire”? Good grief!

It’s freaking amazing to me that some of these names weren’t already in. But here they are and god bless Cheryl Boone Isaacs for pulling this off! And these were just actors. Among directors Ryan Coogler is in, and I’ll add some more names shortly. Keep refreshing.

PS Among the white inductees: Rita Wilson, aka Mrs. Tom Hanks, in movies for 30 years, was never asked before this? And Bruce Greenwood, an MVP every year in countless films, not til now? Weird!

Congratulations to everyone!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
spot_img

Read more

In Other News