The first new Oscar in more than twenty years goes to casting directors

The Academy Awards are introducing an Oscar for casting, the awards' governing body announced Thursday, making it the first new category in more than two decades.

Casting directors have been pushing for this category for decades, arguing that their work is crucial to a film's success, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Oscars, has rejected the idea until now.

The new category will be introduced for films released in 2025, meaning fans won't see a statuette awarded until the 2026 ceremony. The Academy tends to be conservative when it comes to introducing new awards: the last category created was the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, which was established in 2001. (This one went to “Shrek.”) In 2018, the Academy scrapped the introduction of a new category for achievement in “popular” films after backlash from audiences and some Academy films. members.

Destiny Lilly, president of the Casting Society of America, a professional organization for those in the field, said the society was founded in the early 1980s in part to help achieve this award.

“It feels like it's going to be a long time coming,” said Lilly, casting director for “The Color Purple,” which scored a supporting actress nomination for Danielle Brooks at the upcoming ceremony.

The Academy created one branch for Casting Directors in 2013, which currently has more than 150 members. Lilly said the new department allowed other Academy members to fully understand what casting directors do.

“It was an educational process, a building of understanding of what our contributions are as casting directors to a finished film,” Lilly said.

The award show's recognition of off-camera categories, which are sometimes overlooked, was the subject of a stir two years ago when the Academy presented eight categories – including film editing, make-up and hair styling, and production design – before the live broadcast. The decision was met with a wave of criticism, with claims that the move made it clear that the Academy valued some film jobs more than others. The following year, the Academy's new leaders changed course and presented all the awards live.

In a joint statement making the announcement, Academy President Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said: “Casting directors play a vital role in filmmaking, and as the Academy evolves, we proud to add casting to the roster. disciplines that we recognize and celebrate.”

The Academy's board of directors voted Wednesday to add the category.

A common argument against a casting award is the length of the ceremony: last year the show lasted three and a half hours, and in 2002 it reached the four hour and 23 minute mark.

The move brings the Oscars in line with several other awards shows, including the Emmys. The BAFTAs added the category for the 2020 awards, fueling calls for the Academy Awards to do the same.