Photo: ReutersWonder Woman star Gal Gadot, comedian Amy Poehler and Mr. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said on Wednesday (local time) that its class of 2017 invitees was 39% female and 30% people of colour. That marks a more than 300% increase in racial diversity since the 2016 #OscarsSoWhite furor that prompted radical changes at the Academy after all the 20 Oscar nominees for acting that year were white. If all the new invitees accept, the Academy will have some 7400 members. This year's crop also includes Moonlight best picture director Barry Jenkins, Hamilton musical creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Twilight star Kristen Stewart and fashion designer and director Tom Ford.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 28, 2017 23:26 UTC