Justin Timberlake

Film Academy Invites Leslie Jones, Dwayne Johnson, Riz Ahmed

The organization has been diversifying its ranks after two years of #OscarsSoWhite

The film academy is inviting 774 new members to join its ranks, including actors Leslie Jones, Dwayne Johnson, Riz Ahmed, Chris Pratt and Anna Faris.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed its latest invitees on Wednesday.

Other actors invited to join the group include Priyanka Chopra, Janelle Monae, Elle Fanning, Donald Glover, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Betty White, Terry Crews, John Cho, Zoe Kravitz and "Wonder Woman" herself, Gal Gadot. Several "Saturday Night Live" alumnae also received invites: Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Maya Rudolph and current star Kate McKinnon.

"Moonlight" writer-director Barry Jenkins was invited to join both branches, as was "Get Out" writer-director Jordan Peele. "Hidden Figures" director Theodore Melfi and documentarian Ezra Edelman, who won an Oscar for "O.J.: Made in America," also received invitations.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Justin Timberlake, Nick Cave, Terry Lewis, Jimmy Jam and "La La Land" composers Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Justin Hurwitz were invited to the music branch.

The film academy reports the new class of potential members is 39 percent female and 30 percent non-white. The organization has been diversifying its ranks after two years of #OscarsSoWhite and criticism of its overwhelmingly white and male voting body.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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