Emerald Fennell and Robert Pattinson are among the British names that have been invited to join the Academy – the body that oversees the Oscars.

Walking Dead star Steven Yeun has also been invited after his turn in the film Minari, alongside his colleague Yuh-Jung Youn, as has Maria Bakalova – who appeared in the Borat sequel as the titular character’s daughter.

Some 395 artists and executives have been invited to join the body, according to the Academy, with diversity and representation a key factor.

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The class of 2021 is 46% women, 39% under-represented ethnic minorities and 53% international – with 49 countries outside the US represented.

Emerald Fennell wrote and directed Promising Young Woman, for which she won an Oscar, and has been invited to both the writers’ and directors’ branches.

Meanwhile, Twilight star Pattinson is to appear in next year’s latest iteration of Batman.

Other British entries include The Crown’s first Princess Margaret – Vanessa Kirby, Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville and breakthrough actor Kingsley Ben-Adir.

More big names include transgender actress and Promising Young Woman star Laverne Cox, Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr and Crazy Rich Asian actor Henry Golding.

Directors invited include the man behind The Father, Florian Zeller, Minari’s Lee Isaac Chung and Nia DaCosta, who is currently bringing Candyman to life.

The number invited this year is half of 2020, when 820 people joined.

The Academy says it was to “to enable steady future growth and to ensure the necessary infrastructure, staff resources and environment to support all Academy members”.

It has come in for heavy criticism over the last few years for its lack of diversity both among nominees, members and winners.

This year, Chloe Zhao, who directed the triple-Oscar-winning Nomadland, made history as the first woman of colour to win best director, while Youn was the first Korean person to win an acting award for her turn in Minari.

Next year’s awards take place on 27 February.

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