Inside the most diverse Academy class yet

With the Academy refreshing its voting base, three new Oscar voters tell us what it means to be part of Hollywood’s most influential club

JENNIFER KENT

“I wasn’t aware that you could be nominated to be a voter for the Academy, so it was a real shock when the email came in. I woke up in the morning and I had this email congratulating me and I didn’t know what was going on. To know that I was nominated in both writing and directing categories — it was so special. My manager said, ‘That’s not bad for a director who’s never made a film in America!’ I think the Academy’s push for diversity is important because if you’re only representing a small portion of the planet then you’re only pushing forward films with that small focus. We need to see ourselves mirrored back to us on screen. It’s important that storytelling becomes meaningful for everyone. We need to right the balance. It’s happening, slowly.”

ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE

“I was at home in London when I saw that I had been nominated on the news; it was very gratifying because it’s been a long haul to get here. I’ve been in this industry as an actor and an artist for over 20 years, and to see the type of diversity that’s now emerging is huge.

I never thought that I’d see this new wave of gender and ethnic diversity in my career, and I’m glad to be part of this new push for equality. It’s important for a plethora of diverse voices to be heard in Hollywood. I think it’s not only wonderful for the creative arts, but also people underestimate the power that the media has on society. I think it can lead the way in how we as a society embrace each other and become more accepting and reflective of the way that we want to live as a human family.”

ANNA BILLER

“I’ve largely been an outsider to the film industry, so it’s very gratifying to have my voice included. I felt validated by my peers. I have lots of opinions about movies and am a serious cinephile, so I hope I can contribute something of value. I’ve seen some pushback to diversity, as if this means that the quality will go down. What people don’t realise is how difficult it is for new voices to be heard. Voters tend to nominate people they know and men tend to trust other men and hire them more. In my personal experience, many men on film crews have an instant distrust of a female director, as if they don’t believe she can pull it off. Audiences now have an interest in films by women and people of colour. So the new Academy goals are in line with what the people have asked for.”