THE Oscars have launched a landmark campaign to double the number of female and minority members by 2020 amid an outcry that this year's nominated performers are all white.
The largely white, male and older makeup of the 6,000-plus film industry professionals who belong to the academy has long been cited as a barrier to racial and gender equality at the Oscars.
Actor Don Cheadle, Oscar-nominated for his performance in 2004's Hotel Rwanda, said it was a "step in the right direction".
High-profile actors Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and director Spike Lee have already said they will boycott the ceremony, while George Clooney and Mark Ruffalo also critical.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Rampling said she had been "misinterpreted" in an interview where she said the boycott was "racist to white people".
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