Obba Babatunde, Alice Diop and Da’Vine Joy Randolph to join A.M.P.A.S.

Actors Obba Babatunde, Danielle Brooks, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and director Alice Diop have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.).

Home to a global membership of more than 10,000 film industry artists,  A.M.P.A.S. is the association behind the annual Oscars.

With projects that include “Life,” “Black Dynamite,” “The Manchurian Candidate” and “John Q,” Babatunde’s career spans over 4 decades. Director Diop was the first Black woman to represent France in the Oscar race with the drama “Saint Omer,” a film about a Senegalese woman accused of drowning her 13-month-old daughter on a French beach.  Da’Vine Joy Randolph became a first-time Oscar winner this year with “The Holdovers.”

“We are thrilled to welcome this year’s class of new members to the Academy,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “These remarkably talented artists and professionals from around the world have made a significant impact on our filmmaking community.”

Membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority. Of the 2024 class, 44% identify as women, 41% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 56% are from 56 countries and territories outside the United States. There are 71 Oscar nominees, including 19 winners, among the invitees.

By Samantha Ofole-Prince / Photos courtesy of A.M.P.A.S. and Royalty Images