The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is welcoming a new class of Oscar voters, extending invitations to 529 filmmakers, actors, executives and creatives from across the global film industry.
Among the most recognizable names in this year’s membership class are Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Teyana Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Julia Garner, Simu Liu, Josh O’Connor, Mia Goth and Jenny Slate, all of whom have been invited to join the organization behind the Academy Awards.
The newly announced class includes 95 Oscar nominees, 21 Oscar winners and three recipients of Scientific and Technical Awards. While the overall number is slightly smaller than last year’s 534 invitees, the composition of the group highlights the Academy’s continued effort to broaden its membership base and expand international representation.
In a joint statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor described the incoming members as an “exceptionally talented class” whose contributions have helped shape contemporary filmmaking around the world. If all invitees accept membership, the Academy’s total membership will rise to 11,319, including 10,338 voting members who help determine the winners of future Academy Awards.
The actor’s branch features some of the industry’s fastest-rising stars. Elordi, whose profile continues to soar following Saltburn and Frankenstein, joins alongside Ortega, one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young performers following Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Death of a Unicorn.
Acclaimed actress and musician Teyana Taylor also received an invitation after a breakout awards season run, while fellow invitees include Bernthal, Garner, Josh Gad, Stephen Fry, Anthony Ramos, Paddy Considine, David Dastmalchian, Bill Skarsgård and Jemaine Clement.
Several names on the list prompted industry observers to ask why they were not already Academy members. Veterans such as Fry, Gad, Jenny Slate, Lily Rabe and French actor Mathieu Amalric are among the performers joining the organization for the first time.
Beyond acting, the Academy’s latest class reflects the breadth of modern filmmaking. Directors Zach Cregger, whose horror hit Barbarian established him as one of the genre’s most watched filmmakers, and brothers Benny and Josh Safdie are among the notable directing invitees. International filmmakers including Alonso Ruizpalacios, Fernanda Valadez, Kim Jee-woon, Guan Hu and Raven Jackson also earned invitations.
The membership roster extends across documentary, writing, music, animation, visual effects, production design and executive leadership. Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro is among the invited executives, alongside New York Film Festival artistic director Dennis Lim and NBCUniversal chief business officer Liz Jenkins.
Indian cinema also secured representation across multiple branches. Among the invitees are acclaimed costume designer Eka Lakhani (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani), editor A. Sreekar Prasad (RRR), composer and filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, casting director Dilip Shankar, documentary filmmaker Shalini Kantayya and animation artist Avneet Kaur, reflecting the Academy’s continued engagement with global talent beyond Hollywood.
Membership in the Academy is by invitation only. Oscar nominees are automatically considered in the year of their nomination, while other candidates undergo a sponsorship and review process involving branch committees, the Membership Committee and the Academy’s Board of Governors.
Those who accept will not only gain access to exclusive Academy screenings, events and member resources, but will also earn one of the film industry’s most influential privileges: helping decide future Oscar winners.
The full list of the Academy’s 2026 membership invitations is available here!
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