The Academy Award for Achievement in Casting will be introduced to the Oscars beginning with the 98th edition that will honour the films released in 2025.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has revealed plans to introduce a new Oscar recognising achievement in casting, with the inaugural award set to be presented in 2026. This marks the first new Oscar category since the introduction of Best Animated Feature in 2002.
The announcement comes as a surprise, considering the pressure on the Academy to streamline the number of categories presented during its ABC telecast. Currently, 23 awards are handed out on air, although the average viewer tends to focus on only four or five. While it has not been confirmed whether the casting Oscar will be presented during the telecast, it is anticipated to be included.
In recent years, the Academy has increasingly embraced casting directors. The profession’s practitioners have been part of the organisation for decades, but it wasn’t until 2013 that the Academy created a dedicated casting directors branch. This move was followed by the historic election of casting director David Rubin as Academy president from 2019 to 2022. Currently, there are 158 active members in the casting directors branch, making it the smallest of the Academy’s 19 branches.
In a statement released, Academy President Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer said: “Casting directors play an essential role in filmmaking, and as the Academy evolves, we are proud to add casting to the disciplines that we recognize and celebrate. We congratulate our casting directors branch members on this exciting milestone and for their commitment and diligence throughout this process.”
The three governors of the Academy’s casting directors branch—Richard Hicks, Kim Taylor-Coleman, and Debra Zane—also expressed gratitude to the board of governors, the awards committee, and Academy leadership for their support. They described the new award as a well-deserved acknowledgement of casting directors’ exceptional talents and dedication.
Further details regarding category rules for eligibility and voting for the inaugural award will be announced in April 2025 as part of the complete 98th Academy Awards Rules. The specifics of the award’s presentation will be determined by the Academy’s board of governors and administrative leadership at a later date.
