The Academy is a global organisation, representing the best of an international art form, and has members in countries all over the world. Membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity. So being invited in is a big deal.
The Academy are who choose the winners of the Academy Awards, Aka, The Oscars, so being within your right to place a vote in this process would be an honour.
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According to an Academy-provided breakdown of the new invitees, 44 per cent are women, 37 per cent are non-white and 50 per cent are non-Americans, while an impressive 71 Oscar nominees and 15 winners are also on the list.
Some notable names invited to join included Robin de Jesus (Tick, Tick … Boom!), Anya Taylor-Joy (Last Night in Soho), newly-minted Oscar winners Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (Music branch), and of course Ireland’s Louise Kiely!
Academy membership is limited to film artists working in the production of theatrically-released motion pictures. It includes 17 branches for the crafts ranging from Actors to Writers, and the Members-at-Large category which accommodates individuals who work in motion picture production but do not fit into one of the branches.
Some of Casting Director’s, Louise Kiely credits include films such as ‘Sing Street’ and ‘The Green Knight’. In 2021, she was the recipient of the CSA Artios Award & the co-recipient of the CDG Award for Best Casting in a Limited Series for her work on the TV Series ‘Normal People’. I mean, how could we forget?
A huge congratulations to Casting Director and #GSAgrad @louisekiely who has been invited to be a member of @TheAcademy 🥂🎉 pic.twitter.com/zILNSBYGH6
— Gaiety School of Acting (@Gaietyschool) June 30, 2022
Her alma mater, The Gaiety School of Acting, were only all too excited to hear the news, tweeting, “A huge congratulations to Casting Director and #GSAgrad @louisekiely who has been invited to be a member of @TheAcademy 🥂🎉”
However, Louise isn’t the only one representing Irish talent as actors Caitríona Balfe, Jessie Buckley, and Jamie Dornan, film editor Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, composer Amie Doherty, costume designer Joan Bergin and producer Brian J. Falconer, were also on the list of 397 invitees.
What a year for the Irish, doing us proud as always guys!