The Hollywood Foreign Press Association says it has added 21 new members as part of its efforts to diversify the ranks of the organization that hands out the Golden Globe awards for film and television.
Golden Globes Photo: AFP
The additions bring the HFPA's membership total to 105. Among the new members, nearly half are women and six are Black, according to an HFPA statement.
A Los Angeles Times investigation published in February found the group had no Black people among its 87 members. The newspaper also raised long-standing ethical questions over the close relationships between the HFPA and movie studios that may influence the choice of Golden Globe nominees and winners.
The outcry that followed prompted broadcaster NBC to cancel its 2022 broadcast of the Golden Globes.
Tom Cruise was among those who joined a revolt led by streaming platforms and studios, returning the three Golden Globe statuettes he won for his roles in Jerry Maguire, Magnolia and Born on the Fourth of July, Variety and Deadline Hollywood reported.
The HFPA promised a series of reforms including diversifying its membership rolls and prohibiting members from accepting gifts. With the new members, 18 of the total identify as Asian, 12 as Latino and nine as Middle Eastern.
- Reuters