Academy announces plan to improve ‘Oscar diversity’ by 2020

The moves come as the Academy has faced mounting controversy over the lack of diversity in this year’s Oscar nominations and its membership at large. “We used to be better at it”. However, Kevin Tsujihara, head of the Time Warner Inc-owned studio, said there was still more work to do. While women, African-Americans and Latinos have been mentioned in this regard, I would specifically add Indians and Asian-Americans to the list of those who suffer because of lack of roles.

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said, “the Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up”. That hasn’t happened since 1970. “The outspoken director posted a photo of Martin Luther King Jr.to Instagram on Monday morning, along with a lengthy caption condemning Hollywood executives with the “‘green light’ vote” who do not bring minority-centered stories to the big screen.

MARTIN: And when does all this go into effect?

This year’s ballot is the second consecutive set of Oscar nominees that feature no people of color.

MARTIN: You wrote about this earlier this week.

Also on Thursday, the Academy met with ABC officials and representatives of Chris Rock, confirming that he will host the February 28 ceremony, according to sources. Is there a sense of that happening?

“We can not support it and mean no disrespect to my friends…”

“Were talking about an academy that’s overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male”, he told All Things Considered. They should instead focus their anger at the studios (“Oscar experts on “Whiteout” boycott: Academy needs to fix itself”).

In an email sent by Boone Isaacs to the Academy’s membership, she described the changes as “a series of courageous steps”. The winners will now feel like scum and future filmmakers will forever be looking over their backs, wondering who they’re going to insult next.

Actress Janet Hubert, who starred as the original mom on 1990s sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel Air, ‘ blasted Jada Pinkett-Smith for calling for a boycott the Oscars because her husband, Will Smith, did not receive a nomination for his ‘Concussion” performance. “Certainly right now there’s a lot of focus on the academy”. “Slumdog Millionaire” would not have won Best Picture if white people only voted for movies featuring white people. So that’s kind of interesting dilemma there.

KEEGAN: Spike hasn’t said anything yet. – Will Smith, who said he would not attend the Oscars.

On the board of governors itself, there are now 17 women among the 51 members, making up 33 percent of the board, which has the ultimate authority in determine Academy policies. Is it a business decision?

“I just became a member of the Academy this year”.

The surprise Friday release led to immediate response from Selma director Ava DuVernay who tweeted, “Just received from @TheAcademy”.

“I really was disappointed”, she said after the January 14 nominations. If 40 million people are tuning in, they’re getting an idea about what our culture values.

Currently, Isaacs is the only African-American on the board of governors which is predominantly white. She covers film, and she was nice enough to let us call her at home.

KEEGAN: Thanks for having me.