Tag Archives: Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

Nigerians become Academy members

L-R: Akin Omotosho, Genevieve Nnaji and Cynthia Erivo

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the US organisation behind the Oscars, has selected two Nigerians and a British actor of Nigerian descent as members as it aims to increase its female and ethnic minority representation.

The move comes after the Academy’s board of governors vowed four years ago to double the number of women and non-white members by 2020. The Academy was criticised again at the Oscars this year for nominating just one non-white actor.

That actor was Cynthia Ervio, who is one of Academy’s three new members. Born in London to Nigerian parents, Ervio was nominated for Best Actress for her lead role in Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet.

The other two new members are Nollywood actor Genevieve Nnaji and Nigerian filmmaker Akin Omotosho.

Racial equality in Hollywood has come into sharper focus in recent weeks following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests around the world.

This year the Academy has invited 819 new people to be members, of which 36% are people of colour. Last year, Nigerian filmmakers Tunde Kelani and Chinonye Chukwu and actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje were invited to join.

“We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now,” said Academy president David Rubin.

The organisation has grown more international in recent years, tripling its non-US membership since 2015. The Academy also plans to introduce new eligibility rules to boost diversity among Oscars nominees and encourage equitable hiring practices and representation on and off screen.

The 93rd edition of the Academy Awards, known as the Oscars, is scheduled to take place on April 25 next year, with nominations to be announced on March 15.

tagged in:

Nigerian trio join Oscars academy

L-R: Mo Abudu, Ramsey Nouah and Andrew Dosunmu

The Beverly Hills-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the organisation behind the Oscars, has invited three Nigerian filmmakers to become members.

Listed among 395 members for this year’s class, the Nigerian trio are EbonyLife CEO Mo Abudu, actor/director Ramsey Nouah (The Figurine, Rattle Snake: The Ahanna Story) and director Andrew Dosunmu (Restless City, Mother of George) .

Abudu was named in the producer category for her films Oloture (2020) and The Royal Hibiscus Hotel (2017); Nouah was named in the actor category for his roles in 2016 movie 76 and 2009’s The Figurine; and Dosunmu was named in the director category for his films Mother of George (2013) and Restless City (2011).

Writing on Instagram, Abudu said: “It’s such an honour to be included in this category by the Academy. I am proud to be one of 29 producers from around the world who has received this invitation, and the only Nigerian and African woman in the producer category.

“Ladies, we can do anything! I give God all glory and all honour. My thanks and love to the EbonyLife team who work so hard to make these things possible. This membership is ours, guys! We will continue to do what we do best – telling African stories to audiences around the world.”

In 2019, Nigerian filmmakers Tunde Kelani and Chinonye Chukwu and actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje were invited to join the Academy.

tagged in: , , ,