New diversity rules to qualify for the Academy Awards — will they make Oscars not so white?

After years of “Oscars so white,” changes are coming to the Academy Awards. Films must have more diversity in front of or behind the camera to qualify for Best Picture — beginning in 2024.

There are four categories for inclusion, and a Best Picture contender would need to fulfill two:

“If you look at the wide parameters of these four standards, really it’s just designed to kind of prod studios to include more people. And a big part of that is the internship/apprenticeship program,” says Glenn Whipp, LA Times columnist covering the Academy.

He says now people are paying closer attention to programs that are mainly there to make a studio look good. “I think people are paying closer attention to what real opportunities come out of them. … There are a lot of groups monitoring Hollywood these days. Studies come out every year. And the numbers are inching up every year. … Hopefully this kind of program will reach some benefits down the line.”