Director Jon M Chu is very happy with the film Academy's recent push for a more diverse membership, but says it's a symbolic aspect of Hollywood's maturing diversity.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited 683 new members to join the organisation, 46 percent of whom were female and 41 percent minorities.
Following this year's #OscarsSoWhite controversy, the move is an attempt to diversify the Academy's largely white, male membership.
New Zealanders Cliff Curtis and Taika Waititi are among the invitees.
Chu, the man behind two Step Up films, Justin Bieber documentary Never Say Never and Now You See Me 2, directed two of the invitees - RZA and Byung-hun Lee - in 2013 hit sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
"I'm really excited that the Academy took very serious, real, quick change. I mean that's a pretty dramatic shift. But it's going to take those moves," Chu said.
"And there's still a lot to go when you look at the actual numbers. It's sort of symbolic in a certain way. But the real work is going to be done in the actual stories that we tell, and the actual actors that we start to get to know and can expose.
"The more diverse voices, the more unique new stories, will only help cinema. So as happy as I am for the Academy, that they are making an effort, and that means a lot – I think the real actual work is going to be in the work, not in the awards system."
Chu's next film is an adaptation of the 2013 book Crazy Rich Asians.
Newshub.
