Academy Embraces Diversity With 683 New Members, Including John Boyega and Michael B. Jordan

After its most contentious year ever, it appears the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is finally attempting to correct its severe diversity problem. The organization announced its official new members today — a whopping list of 683 names — and the class of 2016 is 46% female and 41% people of color.

The new roster follows a year full of controversy against the lack of diversity among Oscar nominees and within the Academy itself. Last November, President Cheryl Boone Isaacs issued a 5-year initiative to help diversify the Academy, and while there is still a lot of work to be done, the new members represent a step in the right direction.

READ MORE: The Academy’s Diversity Problem Is Complicated

Notable new additions to the Academy this year include: John Boyega, Michael B. Jordan, Oscar Isaac, Regina King, Marielle Heller, Dakota Johnson, Tom Hiddleston, Eva Mendes, Rachel McAdams, Michelle Rodriguez, Greta Gerwig, Damon Waynes Jr, Tessa Thompson and more. For a complete list of this year’s new class, visit the Academy website here.

This year’s 683 additions represent the largest new membership group ever for the Academy. 28 previous Oscar winners have officially joined the organization, while the new class also includes 283 international members from 59 countries.

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