Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega and New Animation Talent Join the Academy’s 2026 Class

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited 529 film professionals to join its 2026 membership class, adding a mix of young stars, veteran performers, filmmakers, musicians, craftspeople, and international talent to the group that votes on the Oscars.

The most recognizable names include Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Teyana Taylor, Josh O’Connor, Julia Garner, Simu Liu, Jon Bernthal, Stephen Fry, Jenny Slate, Sara Bareilles, Mia Goth, and the Safdie brothers.

The list is wide by design.

The Academy is not only adding actors with large fan bases. It is also bringing in directors, producers, editors, cinematographers, composers, animators, visual-effects specialists, casting professionals, executives, publicists, and other people who shape films behind the camera.

That matters because Academy membership is not just an honor.

Members help decide Oscar nominees and winners. They also influence the culture of the organization, the films that receive attention, and the direction of the industry’s most visible awards body.

A New Generation Enters the Oscar Voting Body

Jacob Elordi and Jenna Ortega are among the clearest signs of a generational shift.

Elordi received his first Oscar nomination earlier in 2026 for playing the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. The performance moved him further away from the teen roles that first made him famous and established him as a serious film actor.

Ortega has built a different path. She became a global star through Wednesday while continuing to work in films including horror, comedy, and independent projects. Her invitation reflects both commercial reach and a growing film career.

Teyana Taylor was also invited after receiving an Oscar nomination in the supporting actress category. Josh O’Connor, Julia Garner, Jon Bernthal, Simu Liu, and Mia Goth bring a mix of independent work, franchise experience, prestige television, and major studio films.

This is not the Academy chasing social media popularity alone.

These invitees have built bodies of work that now carry weight inside the film industry.

Stephen Fry Adds Veteran Experience

Stephen Fry stands out because he represents a much longer career than many of the younger invitees.

Fry is widely known for British television, comedy, writing, and hosting. But his film career includes appearances in Gosford Park, V for Vendetta, Love & Friendship, and other international productions.

His invitation shows that Academy recognition does not always happen early.

Some artists enter after a major awards breakthrough. Others arrive after decades of consistent work.

That balance is healthy.

A voting body made only of new celebrities would lack memory. A body made only of long-established figures would struggle to reflect the current industry.

The Academy needs both.

The Animation Branch Adds 43 New Members

The Animation Branch has invited 43 new members, giving animated filmmaking a meaningful place within the larger 2026 class.

Among the notable names connected to animation are Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang, co-directors of KPop Demon Hunters, along with singer and songwriter Ejae. The new members also include directors, producers, artists, writers, and technical professionals working across major studios, independent productions, international cinema, and streaming projects.

This expansion matters because animation is no longer a narrow corner of the business.

Animated films compete globally. They cross language barriers. They generate franchises, music hits, merchandise, streaming audiences, and strong theatrical results.

The craft has also become more diverse.

Traditional hand-drawn work still matters. Computer animation remains dominant in large studio releases. Stop-motion continues to hold artistic value. Hybrid films now blend multiple styles. International animation is reaching wider audiences than before.

Adding more specialists should give the branch a broader understanding of what the medium can do.

A More Global Membership Class

The 2026 class includes professionals from 60 countries and territories.

More than half of the invitees come from international backgrounds, while a large share also come from communities that have historically been underrepresented in the Academy.

The invited class is reported to be:

• 42% women
• 56% from underrepresented communities
• 53% international

If all invitations are accepted, the Academy’s overall membership would become:

• 36% women
• 25% from underrepresented communities
• 22% international

Those numbers show progress, but they also show the scale of the work still ahead.

The Academy expanded sharply after the #OscarsSoWhite criticism that erupted in 2015. At that time, its membership was far more heavily male and white.

Since then, the organization has invited larger and more international classes.

The result is a voting body that is now close to twice the size it was a decade ago.

The Academy Is Bigger, but Bigger Does Not Automatically Mean Better

More members can improve representation. They can also make voting more complicated.

A larger Academy includes more perspectives, genres, industries, and countries. That can help films outside the traditional Hollywood center receive attention.

But size alone does not guarantee better choices.

Members still need to watch the films. They need to vote based on the work rather than campaigns, personal relationships, or popularity. They need to take less visible categories seriously.

The Academy has faced criticism when members admit they did not watch every nominee or relied on reputation rather than direct evaluation.

That is the real challenge.

Inviting better voters is only useful if they participate seriously.

Membership Comes With Real Influence

Those who accept the invitations will gain access to Academy screenings, member events, industry programs, and the organization’s secure platform for viewing eligible and nominated films.

Most importantly, eligible members can vote in the Oscars.

That power affects careers.

An Oscar nomination can improve an actor’s opportunities, help an independent film find an audience, raise a director’s profile, and extend a movie’s theatrical or streaming life.

The process begins within individual branches.

Actors nominate actors. Directors nominate directors. Animators vote within the animation branch. Most categories are shaped first by the professionals closest to the craft.

The full voting membership then chooses the winners in most categories.

That means the people joining this year will not simply attend events.

They will help decide whose work becomes part of Oscar history.

The List Reflects Changes in Modern Filmmaking

The 2026 invitees reflect an industry where the old boundaries are fading.

Television actors move into major films. Musicians become actors, composers, and producers. Independent filmmakers enter studio franchises. International movies compete directly with Hollywood releases. Streaming platforms and theatrical studios fight for the same talent.

The invitation list mirrors that reality.

Jenna Ortega represents the crossover between streaming stardom and film. Jacob Elordi reflects the move from youth-oriented projects to prestige cinema. Teyana Taylor shows how a performer can move between music, fashion, and serious acting.

Animation leaders represent a medium that increasingly produces some of the world’s most watched stories.

The Academy is adapting because it has to.

A voting body built around the film industry of 1995 cannot fairly judge the film industry of 2026.

New Members Join as Oscar Rules Change

The Academy is also changing its rules.

Recent updates include stronger limits on eligibility for acting and writing work created through artificial intelligence. The Academy has also approved changes allowing performers to receive multiple nominations within the same acting category under certain conditions.

New award categories are being added as well.

Casting is becoming an Oscar category, and stunt design is expected to receive its own award beginning with the 2028 ceremony.

These changes show that the Academy is trying to recognize work that has long been central to filmmaking but overlooked during awards season.

The new members will help apply those rules.

Their judgment will matter in debates involving artificial intelligence, performance authenticity, animation technology, international eligibility, and the changing meaning of theatrical distribution.

Key Facts

• The Academy invited 529 film professionals in its 2026 membership class.
• The list includes Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Teyana Taylor, Josh O’Connor, Julia Garner, Simu Liu, Jon Bernthal, Stephen Fry, Mia Goth, Jenny Slate, and Sara Bareilles.
• The class includes 95 previous Oscar nominees and 21 winners.
• The Animation Branch invited 43 new members.
• Animation invitees include artists connected to projects such as KPop Demon Hunters.
• The invited class is 42% women, 56% from underrepresented communities, and 53% international.
• The invitees represent 60 countries and territories.
• If all accept, the Academy will have 11,319 members.
• Of those, 10,338 would be eligible to vote.
• The Academy’s overall membership would be 36% women, 25% from underrepresented communities, and 22% international.

The Bottom Line

The Academy’s 2026 membership class is large, global, and younger in several key areas.

That does not automatically make the Oscars more relevant.

The real value will depend on what these members do with their votes.

They can reward familiar names because it is easy. Or they can watch widely, take every branch seriously, and support work that deserves attention regardless of budget, language, or campaign size.

The invitation is the headline.

The voting is where the influence begins.

JoshPopov / WikiPortraits