Nigerian actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, actress Teyana Taylor and director Eugene Ashe are among the 529 people The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited to join its ranks as members.
Dìrísù is a British-Nigerian actor known for his starring role as Elliot Finch in the series “Gangs of London” and for his BAFTA-nominated performance in the Netflix horror thriller “His House.”
Others invited to join the Academy include actor Jacob Elordi, whose movie “Frankenstein,”won three Oscars at the Academy Awards in March and directors Zach Cregger (“Weapons”) and Benny Safdie (“The Smashing Machine”).
“We are delighted to invite this remarkable group of film artists and professionals from around the world to join the Academy,” academy CEO Bill Kramer and academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a press release. “Through their commitment to filmmaking, this year’s exceptionally talented class has made significant contributions to our global movie industry.”
The rest of the individuals who have received invitations to join the academy include “Sinners” movie film editor Michael P. Shawver and Brad Ricker production designer on “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
If all of the people invited decide to accept their membership, the total number of academy members will increase to 11,319, including emeritus. The number of voting members will stand at 10,338.
Of the 2026 invited class, 42% are women, 56% belong to underrepresented communities, and 53% are from 60 countries and territories outside the United States.
