The organization that awards the Oscars said on Tuesday it had invited 819 new members to join its ranks and exceeded a goal set four years ago to diversify the group's membership by 2020.

Among the new members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are actor Wu Jing with the highest box-office grosses in China, and Chinese actress Zhao Tao, the first Asian actress to win a prize at the Italian David di Donatello Awards.

Among other new members, who come from 68 countries, were Lulu Wang who is director and writer of Chinese-American family drama "The Farewell," Awkwafina who is the first Asian-American woman to win a Golden Globe Award for best actress, and Constance Wu who earned praise for her performances in "Hustlers" and "Crazy Rich Asians."

Also on Tuesday's list of invitees were several stars of South Korean drama and Oscar best picture winner "Parasite," includes actors Jang Hye-Jin, Jo Yeo-Jeong, Lee Jung-Eun and Park So-Dam and the movie's editor, costume designer and other crew members. The movie's director Bong Joon-ho and lead actor Song Kang-ho were invited in 2015.

Seen as the apex body of the Hollywood film industry, the Academy issues a single round of invitations annually.

The academy launched an effort to diversify its ranks after facing criticism in 2015 when the #OscarsSoWhite movement highlighted a lack of Black actors nominated for the film industry's top awards.

With the new list, 33 percent of the academy's 9,000-plus members are women and 19 percent come from underrepresented racial or ethnic communities, the academy said.

The group said it had surpassed the goal it set in 2016 to double the number of women and people from underrepresented communities by 2020. In 2015, 25 percent of the membership were women and 10 percent from underrepresented groups.

"We take great pride in the strides we have made in exceeding our initial inclusion goals set back in 2016, but acknowledge the road ahead is a long one," said Academy Chief Executive Dawn Hudson. "We are committed to staying the course."

The move toward racial equality in Hollywood has come under further scrutiny in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month, which spurred massive nationwide protests under the banner of "Black Lives Matter."

Movie studios and stars have flocked to express their support for the movement, from public statements and inclusion initiatives to the removal of TV episodes featuring "blackface" and warnings over outdated titles such as "Gone with the Wind."

With input from Reuters and AFP

(Cover image via CFP)