Wood Harris, Teyana Taylor, And Malik Hassan Sayeed Among 529 New Oscar Voters As Academy Invites Class Of 2026
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its annual invitations, welcoming 529 artists and industry professionals who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to motion pictures. This year’s class features 95 Oscar nominees, including 21 winners, alongside three Scientific and Technical Award recipients.
Of the 2026 invited class, 42% are women, 56% belong to underrepresented communities, and 53% hail from 60 countries and territories outside the United States.
Notably, a number of Black film artists and industry professionals received invitations across multiple branches, including Wood Harris, Teyana Taylor, Malik Hassan Sayeed, and others.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said of this year’s invitations: “We are delighted to invite this remarkable group of film artists and professionals from around the world to join the Academy. Through their commitment to filmmaking, this year’s exceptionally talented class has made significant contributions to our global movie industry.”
See the full list of Black film artists and professionals invited to join the Academy here.
Actors
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù – My Father’s Shadow, His House
Wood Harris – One Battle After Another, Remember the Titans
Teyana Taylor – One Battle after Another, A Thousand and One
Cinematographers
Malik Hassan Sayeed – After the Hunt, He Got Game
Costume Designers
PC Williams – The Roses, Polite Society
Directors
Eugene Ashe – Sylvie’s Love, Homecoming
Raven Jackson – All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
Documentary
Christalyn Hampton – The Devil Is Busy, Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story
Alisa Payne – The Perfect Neighbor, Stamped from the Beginning
Executives
Liz Jenkins
Janine Jones-Clark
Rayne Roberts
Film Editors
Daysha M. Broadway – Ricky, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody
Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Shunika Terry – Sinners, The Matrix Resurrections
Marketing and Public Relations
Sharon Black
Music
James Fauntleroy – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Dolemite Is My Name
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe – Seeds, Candyman
DeVaughn Watts – The Wild Robot, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Production and Technology
Jamal Sims
Short Films
Akinola Davies – Lizard, Contactless
Kryzz Gautier – Chimera, Keep Delete
Tamika Lamison – Superman Doesn’t Steal, The Magic Bracelet
Writers
Cheo Hodari Coker – Creed II, Notorious
–Dominique Young // @heyyydommm