Hollywood's most exclusive club is rolling out the red carpet to 774 industry professionals � including such boldfaced names as Kristen Stewart, Gal Gadot, John Cho, Chris Pratt, Elle Fanning and Jordan Peele � in its latest and most dramatic step to diversify its overwhelmingly white and male membership.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its newest class of members on Wednesday, the second such round of invitees since the nearly 90-year-old institution launched an initiative to double the number of women and minorities in its ranks in response to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.
Last year's class of 683 members set a record at the time as the biggest and most diverse in the organization's history, and many industry observers were looking at this year's announcement as a sign of whether the academy can sustain the momentum of its diversity push.
Women make up 39 percent of the newest class � which draws from industry professionals in 57 countries � while people of color represent 30 percent. With the new members, the share of women and people of color in the academy now stand at 28 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Thirty people have been invited in more than one branch.
