Keke “Big Boss” Palmer has another accomplishment to add to a long list of many! The actress is among the hundreds of respected artists invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
“The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a press release. “They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide.”
According to CNN, the host joins artists like Ke Huy Quan, Selma Blair, and Lashana Lynch, “who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to motion pictures.” The new cohort initiates the Academy’s goal for diversity and inclusion. Forty percent of the 2023 invitees identify as women, thirty-four percent come from underrepresented communities, and fifty-two percent are international.
Furthermore, many artists who received invitations are either Academy Award winners or Oscar-nominated.
The news comes only days after the Academy announced it would award actress Angela Bassett an honorary Oscar statuette at the Governor’s Awards later this year.
The Need for Diversity
The Academy’s push for diversity comes years after the #OscarsSoWhite trended during one of the shows due to a lack of diversity. Los Angeles Times released an analysis in 2012 that revealed the Oscar voters were 94% white and 77% male.
Also, a 2021 investigation found that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that hands out the Golden Globes, had no Black members. Thus, leading NBC to pull the awards program off the air in 2022.
“Membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion, and equity remaining a priority,” the Academy stated.
Therefore, this year’s class of invitees includes more women.