Oscars add diversity requirement for best film: no LGBTQ or black actors in the picture

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony in 2025 was held on March 3. Twitter user EndWokeness posted that the Oscar Best Picture selection rules made clear requirements for diversity content.

He said: "Unless the film is full of diversity, equity and inclusion, it cannot win the Oscar for Best Picture." Former Blizzard producer Grummz believes the new rules mean that normal movies cannot win Oscars unless they meet DEI guidelines.

A Reddit forum user also complained, "I am very disappointed with this year's Oscar-winning films." Raymond Arroyo, host of the Arroyo Grande podcast, also believed that "most people haven't seen those movies, so they won't be excited about them." He mentioned that some excellent works want to win the Best Picture award. They must also comply with the "diversity, representation and inclusion" rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The rules require that at least one of the leading or significant supporting actors in the nominated films be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group in a particular country or region, and that 30% of the entire cast be from at least two underrepresented groups. The rules also require that the film's storyline must focus on underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities, to be eligible.