HOLLYWOOD – Two years after the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag brought attention to the award show's lack of diversity, there has been some progress.
The Academy has added new, more diverse voting members, and that's why they say change is reflected in the nominations.
Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro is a favorite to win in the category of Best Director. African-American director Jordan Peele is also nominated for directing and writing "Get Out."
"This kind of recognition goes bigger than me -- it goes bigger than us," Peele said.
Octavia Spencer and Mary J. Blige are also up for Best Supporting Actress, and Blige is also up for Best Original Song for her "Mighty River" song in "Mudbound."
Also, Denzel Washington and Daniel Kaluuya are nominated for Best Actor for the movies "Roman J. Israel, Esq." and "Get Out."
Among the nominees for Best Original Screenplay are Kumail Nanjiani, and for Best Adapted Screenplay, Dee Rees, is now the first black woman ever to get an Oscar nod for writing.
"As much as it is cause for celebration, like, why did it take 90 years to get here," Rees said.
Researchers at the University of Southern California Annenberg said Hollywood still has a long way to go.
"Out of 100 movies, 25 didn't have a single black character on screen that spoke, over 40 didn't have Asians and over 50 didn't have a Latino on screen," USC professor Dr. Stacy Smith said in 2016. "We need to tell stories that represent all of humanity."