http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3412614/Oscar-overhaul-Academy-overhauls-membership-voting-rules-promote-diversity.html#ixzz3y1SPd0b0Oscars cave in: Academy announces mass overhauls to membership and voting rules to promote diversity after boycott threat over lack of black nominations
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is facing a boycott
Actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith criticized the lack of Oscar diversity
Announced they would not be attending the ceremony in February
Best Supporting Actor nominee Mark Ruffalo has signaled his support
Best Actress nominee Charlotte Rampling also waded into the debate
She said 'Maybe black actors don't deserve to be on the final stretch?'
Growing anger around the issue ahead of the February 28 ceremony
Sir Michael Caine, Reese Witherspoon and William H Macy also spoke out
By Associated Press
Published: 15:38 EST, 22 January 2016 | Updated: 18:07 EST, 22 January 2016
The film academy is pledging to double the number of female and minority members by 2020, and will immediately diversify its leadership by adding three new seats to its board of governors.
Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the changes on Friday, following a weeklong storm of criticism and calls for an Oscar boycott after academy members nominated an all-white slate of actors for the second year in a row.
'The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,' she said in a statement.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 51-member board of governors unanimously approved a series of reforms late Thursday to 'begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition,' Isaacs said.
The number of minorities currently serving as members of the academy has not been revealed.
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