The Oscars may soon undergo a major and controversial change as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences explores replacing the best actor and best actress categories with gender-neutral awards.
As more awards shows adopt gender-neutral categories, the academy is considering following suit, but acknowledges it's in the "early exploration stage," academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a late-June interview in Variety.
The trend began when the Grammys created single gender-neutral categories for best pop, country and R&B performances in 2012. Since then, some film and TV awards have too, including the MTV Movie & TV Awards, the Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards.
But such a change for the main acting categories at Hollywood's flagship award ceremony would be remarkable. Kramer said that there are many factors to consider. "It's one of many conversations about the future of awards and the Oscars," he said. "We are still investigating how it could look."
The idea of gender-neutral categories has garnered support from nonbinary performers like Emma Corrin and Asia Kate Dillon. Corrin, known for playing Princess Diana in The Crown, has lobbied for more inclusivity in award categories. The issue was recently in the spotlight when Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, from FX series Pose, became the first openly trans performer to earn an Emmy nomination in a lead acting category.
But the trend has also faced criticism. Film critic Christian Toto and actresses Patricia Arquette and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others, have argued that while they support diversity, gender-neutral awards impact women. "We've already seen genderless categories where mostly men scored the nominations in a given category," Toto told the Washington Times in 2023.
Top awards often align with time on screen. A study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University found that, last year, male characters outnumbered female ones almost two to one in the top 100 grossing films.
The Oscars currently has some gender-neutral nonacting categories, such as directing, writing and producing. Yet, these categories are also predominantly occupied by men. According to the Women's Media Center, men have received 78 percent of Oscar nominations for these over the past 17 years.
Kramer also told Variety that the Oscars are adapting to the changing media landscape ahead of their 100th anniversary, in 2028. "The academy sits in two worlds: the film industry and the nonprofit arts and culture sector. Both are undergoing radical shifts in their business models right now.
"We need to diversify our support to ensure we thrive for the next century," he said.
Newsweek has reached out to the academy for further comment.
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