The study shows that the Oscars have become more diverse since the viral #OscarsSoWhite. But the gaps are still visible

WASHINGTON. The Oscars have seen a marked change in inclusiveness since the #OscarsSoWhite viral hashtag, according to new research from the University of Southern California.

A USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study published Wednesday found that Oscar nominations for underrepresented groups have improved since 2015, when activist April Rain’s hashtag went viral.

From 2008 to 2015, 8% of nominations were for underrepresented racial or ethnic groups. Years after #OscarsSoWhite, especially from 2016 to 2023, underrepresented groups made up 17% of nominees.

For female candidates, the percentage increased from 21% to 27% over the same time period.

“When April Reign released #OscarsSoWhite, she capitalized on the collective desire for change and the outrage people felt to see actors of color once again excluded from this career-defining award,” said Stacey L. Smith, associate professor of communications. “This comprehensive look at the Oscars demonstrates that the exception has been the norm for many years and still is in many categories. But it also shows that there is power in collective action and that the energy ensures that the years after #OscarsSoWhite don’t look like the years before.”

Despite small successes, a gap in the diversity of the Oscars remains evident.

Categories such as “Best Visual Effects”, “Best Sound” and “Editing” remained largely unchanged. To date, no woman of color has been nominated for Best Visual Effects, and only 4% of all Best Sound nominees were from an underrepresented group.

Even though Everything, Everywhere, All At Once wants to make history at the upcoming 2023 Oscars, the differences in the nominations are clear. No female director has been nominated for the upcoming Oscars, even after two consecutive wins for Jane Campion and Chloe Zhao. In addition to the lack of female directors, no black women were nominated for the Best Actress award.

Danielle Deadwyler, who played Emmett Till’s mother in “Till,” and Viola Davis, who starred in “The Woman King,” did not make it into the competition category. The snub of two famous black actors was seen by some as reflecting racial bias in the film industry.

The USC study attributes the change to the viral hashtag Reign. #OscarsSoWhite came to prominence after two consecutive years of nominations in all four major categories for white actors.

The USC findings are part of Annenberg’s larger research initiative to map the demographics of Oscar winners since the first Oscars in 1929. List.”

The data is available to the public and tracks the progress of the entertainment industry.

In the entire 95 years of the Academy Awards, 17% of all nominees from 1929 to 2023 were women, with only 6% being people of color and less than 2% of nominees being women of color.

The database shows similar numbers for Oscar winners: only 16% of all Oscar winners are women, 6% are people of color, and 2% are women of color.

While some communities were not explored in this study, USC said it plans to expand its analysis of candidates who self-identify as LGBTQ and people with disabilities.

The Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 12 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will begin at 8:00 pm EST and will be broadcast live on ABC.