The Academy, which is in charge of the Oscars, has invited 398 entertainment personalities to join its select group, including Taylor Swift, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, and Austin Butler. The Academy has accelerated its expansion in recent years with the goal of broadening diversity among its members and has invited more than 1,000 new members.
According to the Academy, 40% of the class of 2023 is made up of women, 34% are minorities, and 52% come from 51 different countries in addition to the United States.
The list of invitees includes Argentine directors Ana Katz and Santiago Mitre, whose film “Argentina 1985” competed for the statuette this year, as well as Mexican filmmaker Carlos López Estrada, director of “Raya y el último dragón.”
Academy officials Bill Kramer and Janet Yang expressed their pride in welcoming these artists and professionals to their membership, highlighting their extraordinary global talent in the film disciplines.
The guest list also includes several recent nominees, including Austin Butler, Paul Mescal, and cast members from the film “Everything Everywhere at Once,” such as Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, and costume designer Shirley Kurata.
The Academy issues only one round of invitations per year, and only Academy members are entitled to vote to decide the winners of the Oscars.