Robert Pattinson, Issa Rae + More Asked to Join the Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released their list of 395 invitees for this upcoming year. At less than half the number of last year’s list, the AMPAS managed to squeeze in some pretty big name actors, some of which include Steven Yeung, Issa Rae, Clea Duvall, Robert Pattinson, Vanessa Kirby, Carrie Coon, Nathan Lane, and Laverne Cox. Still, this is the lowest number of invitees in the last six years. 

Demographically, the potential new voters of 2021 are made up 46% women, 39% underrepresented racial/ethnic communities, and 53% international figures representing 50 countries including the United States. Eighty nine of these members have received Oscar noms in the past, and 25 of them are Oscar winners. 

To no surprise, eight multi-talented individuals have been asked to serve more than one category, including 2021 Oscar nominee and Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. Because the AMPAS allows its members to vote under only one category, those eight individuals will have to choose which they prefer. The most crossovers came in the directors and writers category, some of whom include Janicza Bravo, Emerald Fennell, Craig Brewer, Shaka King, and Lee Issac Chung. 

The Academy is currently comprised of 90,000 artists and executives in the film industry. Earlier this year, AMPAS announced they would be reducing the number of invitees to nearly half of the recent years, making an effort to “enable steady growth and support for all members.” 

The organization has also vowed to make equity and inclusion a priority with each year’s new round of invitees. According to AMPAS, “membership selection decisions are based on professional qualifications, with representation, inclusion, and equity remaining a priority of Academy Aperture 2025.” 

Here is a comprehensive list of the 2021 Academy Invitees, broken down by category. You can also find this list with a highlight of the individual’s best film work here.