The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’s ritual of announcing its annual invitees happened once again Thursday, with a collection of this year’s new Oscar winners and nominees among the prestigious new class. Of course, the 2021 list doesn’t make for automatic membership; those invited still need to accept, and as Ryan Coogler has reminded, not everyone does.
It’s an exciting group: Stars most U.S. audiences were introduced to in the past year, like supporting-actress winner Yuh-Jung Youn (Minari) and breakout contender Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), feature alongside other first-time nominees including Jon Batiste, Andra Day, H.E.R., Vanessa Kirby, Leslie Odom Jr., Paul Raci, and Steven Yeun. Both of 2020’s Oscar-winning screenwriters—Promising Young Woman’s Emerald Fennell and The Father’s Florian Zeller—are noted, too, but will have to decide between representing for the writing and directing branches, since they also helmed those films. (Same goes for fellow invitees Shaka King, Lee Isaac Chung, and more.)
Beyond those expected suspects, there are some seemingly (very) overdue names—Janet Jackson! Nathan Lane!—as well as a general welcoming of exciting, rising Hollywood talent, like Zola director Janicza Bravo. There are 395 names listed this year in total, edging AMPAS membership closer to 10,000.
Some facts and figures: Nearly half of the list consists of women, and a little over a third are people of color. Perhaps most in step with the direction the Academy has been taking of late, more than half of the 395 people are not from the U.S. Over the past few years, that increasing international influence on the Oscars has been showcased particularly in the directing branch, lest you’ve forgotten that Thomas Vinterberg shocker, and it’s a direct result of this globalizing membership. The trend will only accelerate—indeed, some great international filmmakers are returning to Cannes later this month before some presumed awards pushes. Could the Croisette become a new kind of Oscars launching pad? As Bong Joon Ho proved, that may already be happening.
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