Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is under fire for lack of diversity in its Oscars nominations this year, has announced a series of measures to double the number of women and diverse members by 2020.
The Academy's Board has approved substantive changes designed to make its membership, governing bodies, and voting members significantly more diverse.
"The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up," Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in a statement.
"These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition."
Beginning later this year, each new member's voting status will last 10 years, and will be renewed if that new member has been active in motion pictures during that decade.
Members will receive lifetime voting rights after three ten-year terms; or if they have won or been nominated for an Academy Award. The same standards will be applied retroactively to current members.
If a current member has not been active in the last 10 years they can still qualify by meeting the other criteria. Those who do not qualify for active status will be moved to emeritus status, which allows them to enjoy all the privileges of membership, except voting.
The decision will not affect voting for this year's Oscars, which are scheduled to take place on February 28.
The move by the Academy has been welcomed by "Selma" director Ava DuVernay, who was overlooked for a nomination last year.
"Just received from The Academy. One good step in a long, complicated journey for people of color and women artists," DuVernay wrote.
"Marginalized artists have advocated for Academy change for decades. Actual campaigns. Calls voiced from the stage. Deaf ears. Closed minds."
Stephanie Allain, a producer of "Beyond the Lights" and a member of the academy, said she was elated, especially with the addition of three members to Board of Governors who, she assumed, would be women or people of colour.
"The world is watching, basically, so what are we going to do? Are we going to do the right thing? And I think that we have," she said.
The landmark decision comes after a number of Hollywood
celebrities criticised the Academy for failing to recognise people of colour in four of its acting categories for the second consecutive year.
Hollywood couple Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett have decided to boycott the ceremony this year after the actor and his film "Concussion" failed to get a nomination.
Jada Pinkett was one of the first celebrities to slam the Academy and call for a boycott, along with filmmaker Spike Lee.
Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o, DuVernay, David Oyelowo, George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Viola Davis and Mark Ruffalo are some of the celebrities who have criticised the Academy and Hollywood studios for ignoring non-white talent.
However, Hollywood seems to be divided on the diversity debate with some celebrities criticising the appeal for quota, saying the awards should be given only on merit.
The latest to wade into the row is this year's best actress nominee Charlotte Rampling, who condemned much of the protest as being "racist against whites."
The "45 Years" star later clarified saying her comments were misinterpreted.
"I simply meant to say that in an ideal world every performance will be given equal opportunities for consideration. Diversity in our industry is an important issue that needs to be addressed. I am highly encouraged by the changes announced today by the academy to diversify its membership."
British actor Michael Caine, a double Oscar winner, told BBC, "There's loads of black actors but you can't vote for an actor because he's black. You can't just say 'I'll vote for him, he's not very good but he's black. You've got to give a good performance - and I'm sure there were.
Caine said he loved Idris Elba's performance in "Beasts of No Nation".
Many feel Elba should have made it to the best actor nominees list.
