Tiffany Haddish, Shah Rukh Khan, Kendrick Lamar join U.S. film academy invitees

The organization that puts on the Oscars has invited 928 new members from 59 countries to join its ranks, including actors Tiffany Haddish, Dave Chappelle, Kumail Nanjiani, Amy Schumer and Timothe Chalamet.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says Monday that 49 per cent of its invitees are female and 38 per cent of are people of colour.

Should all the invitees accept, the new class would boost its overall membership to be 31 per cent female and 16 per cent persons of colour.

Canadians invited include actors Tantoo Cardinal and Alison Pill, composer BenotCharest and filmmakersDanis Goulet, Ann Marie Fleming andGuy Maddin.

The film academy in 2016 pledged to double the number of female and minority ranks of its members by 2020.