One of the ways the Academy has tried to atone for #OscarsSoWhite is by increasing the diversity of its membership body. Last year the Academy a record-breaking 683 new members, and this year they broke their own record by inviting 774 new members. This year, 30 percent of those invited are people of color and 39 percent are women. Some people are thrilled by those numbers, but others wonder if the Academy, which used to only invite the most accomplished people, is now becoming less prestigious. Some of the names on the list this year, including Leslie Jones, Riz Ahmed, Danny Glover and even Betty White, are actors who are much more well known for their work in television. Other actors, like Gal Gadot, have had one giant hit, in her case Wonder Woman, but is that enough to merit an invitation?
KCRW
