President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs. Photo: AP

LOS ANGELES — Responding for the first time to the firestorm of criticism over the lack of diversity in this year’s Oscar nominations, film academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs says the all-white acting slate inspires her to accelerate the academy’s push to be more inclusive. She also hopes the film industry as a whole will continue to strive for greater diversity.

The first black president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences spoke out Friday night in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press about the Oscar nominations and the widespread criticism that followed.

All 20 of this year’s acting contenders are white and there are no women in the directing or writing categories. After the nominations were announced Thursday morning, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite started trending on Twitter.

The Asian Pacific American Media Coalition issued a statement Friday saying the nominations balloting “obviously reflects a lack of diversity in Oscar voters as well as in films generally.”

Yet Boone Isaacs insisted the academy is “committed to seeking out diversity of voice and opinion” and that outreach to women and artists of color is a major focus.

“In the last two years, we’ve made greater strides than we ever have in the past toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive organization through admitting new members and more inclusive classes of members,” Boone Isaacs said. “And, personally, I would love to see and look forward to see a greater cultural diversity among all our nominees in all of our categories.”

A 2012 survey by the Los Angeles Times found the academy was 94 percent white, overwhelmingly male and with a median age of 62. A more recent survey determined the percentage of older white males had dropped by one point, the Times said. But with nearly 7,000 members and no requirement to retire, diversity is going to take some time.

Boone Isaacs declined to address whether she and the academy were embarrassed by the slate of white Oscar nominees, instead insisting that she’s proud of the nominees, all of whom deserved recognition.

She explained that while each branch comes up with its own criteria for excellence and each nominates its colleagues, all voting is individual and confidential.

For instance, only directors can suggest best director nominees and only actors can nominate actors. But the entire academy membership can submit suggestions for best picture.

“There is not one central body or group of people that sit around the table and come up with nominations,” she said. “It really is a peer-to-peer process.”

With all the accolades the civil rights drama “Selma” has received since its Christmas opening, some felt its failure to garner nominations for director Ava DuVernay or star David Oyelowo reflected a racial bias.

“What is important not to lose sight of is that ‘Selma,’ which is a fantastic motion picture, was nominated for best picture this year, and the best picture category is voted on by the entire membership of around 7,000 people,” Boone Isaacs said.

Besides best picture, the film received just one additional nod — for original song — in what was widely viewed as a significant snub. But fans shouldn’t feel that way, she said: “It’s nominated for the Oscar for best picture. It’s an award that showcases the talent of everyone involved in the production of the movie ‘Selma.'”

Boone Isaacs says the five best actor nominees — Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper”), Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”), Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) and Michael Keaton (“Birdman”) — “are all at the top of their game.”

“There are quite a few actors this year at the top of their game,” she said. “There are five nominees and this year, these were the five.”

Diversity outreach is spread among the academy’s 17 branches, she said, since existing members recruit new ones.

“This is a membership organization, so we are all involved in this discussion and moving the subject of diversity forward,” she said. “It’s very important for us to continue to make strides to increase our membership and the recognition of talent.”

In its Friday statement, the Asian Pacific coalition said the responsibility for diversity in film should be industry-wide.

“It behooves Hollywood — as an economic imperative, if not a moral one — to begin more closely reflecting the changing face of America,” the statement said.

Boone Isaacs agrees, saying that as the academy “continues to make strides toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive organization, we hope the film industry will also make strides toward becoming more diverse and inclusive.”

Though she repeatedly stressed the Oscars are a competitive process and that she’s proud of the year’s nominees, Boone Isaacs acknowledged that diversity needs to be mandatory in both story and storyteller.

“It matters that we pay attention to, again, the diversity of voice and opinion and experience, and that it doesn’t slide, it doesn’t slide anywhere except for forward,” she said. “And maybe this year is more just about let’s kick it in even more.”

Check this out at the New York Post.com.

NALIP member and Latino Media Market fellow Sara Seligman has sold her script "Plan-V" to No Dancing Today. A story that started as her thesis feature script while attending the NYFA directing program, after attending the 2011 NALIP Latino Media Market, Seligman continued script work with Romina Sacre. Last year, after continued interest, No Dancing Today bought "Plan-V".

"Plan-V" tells the story of three friends. After one of them is left heartbroken by her first love, her friends convince her that the only way to find a man that will love her and honor her is by finding a virgin. So their quest begins; it turns out that finding a virgin is a lot harder than they expected! In the end they will find something much more important than a Virgin. With this romantic-comedy "Plan-V" breaks the mold placing women in "control" of the seduction game, and not just the bystanders that they are often portrayed to be.

Since graduating Sara has also written "Falcon Lake" a feature script that earned her the TAA Tribeca Film Institute grant and directed two shorts; a horror film: Hawkins Hill  and Diego. She is currently crowd funding her new short-film "Voladores" that focuses on a piece of ancient Mexican culture; the "Papantla Flyers."  

TThe Latino Media Market (LMM) consists of a meeting series for selected submitted projects. Filmmaker participants meet one-on-one with industry representatives who can provide sound advice on how to advance their project to the next level. If a project meets the specific needs of the company, this can potentially open a window for the project to grow into a commissioned pilot, or obtain broadcast licenses or completion funds. The LMM 2015 application and deadline will be announce within early 2015. Stay tuned.

Related: Diego

Announced Thursday, bright and early were the 2015 Oscar nominations, and along with it the discovery that this will be the whitest Oscars in years. Proof that further supports that Hollywood's approach to diversity is more than lacking. 

A previous report from the Los Angeles Times revealed Oscar voters are 94% white, 77% male and only 14% under the age of 50 from a total average of 5,765 voters. 

"The Academy is showing its true colors" said Axel Caballero, Executive Director, NALIP. 

This years nominations are absurdly lacking diversity, and that can't be said for the talent available this year with "Selma" expected to have garnered many academy nods in various categories, including a Best Director nomination for Ava DuVernay. This years recognized academy talent reflects a completely white selection within the both Best Actor/Actress and Supporting Actor/Actress categories, that include Reese Witherspoon and Benedict Cumberbatch. 

It's time the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences diversified to reflect an industry that doesn't lack diversity within it's talent, even while it appears to be an industry that fails to recognize it. 

Leave a comment below, with your message to the Academy.

Related: Oscar 2015 Nominees Expose Academy’s Lack of Diversity 

Source: Getty / Maarten de Boer

Gina Rodriguez's Golden Globe win was already a point of pride for many who were rooting for the "Jane the Virgin" star, but it was her heartfelt shout out to the Latino community that really struck a chord with fans and critics alike:

Did you see #GinaRodriguez's acceptance speech at the #GoldenGlobes? BEAUTIFUL! http://t.co/fTY2O5S5jV pic.twitter.com/WRAfrscxm7

— LatinaMomBloggers (@latinamomblogs) January 12, 2015

"This award is so much more than myself," Rodriguez said tearfully. "It represents a culture that wants to see itself as heroes," said the Latina actress in an acceptance speech that quickly went viral.

Backstage after the award, Rodriguez expanded - in English and Spanish - on what the win meant for her as a young Latina actress.

"First and foremost, the nomination alone was a win for me because it allowed our culture, it allowed Latinos to see themselves in a beautiful light," Rodriguez said. "For me, the win meant everything."

"I'm definitely part of the testament that it's changing. It's not only something that I see, but something I experience everyday."

Rodriguez also said the win "...allowed [Latinos] to see themselves invited to the same party. We want to create the effect that shows Latinos as the investment bankers and the lawyers that exist in my own home." Rodriguez was referring to her sisters, whom she thanked in the awards show for being role models. One is an investment banker and another a lawyer.

The Chicago-born daughter of Puerto Rican parents and New York University graduate has always embraced her cultural identity. She told NBC Latino in 2012 that "I have a real responsibility to all the little girls out there to be the story-teller I was born to be. And that's a very, very special role that I won't ever take lightly." The actress works with the National Hispanic Foundation For the Arts and other groups.

Rodriguez was named one of "top 35 Latinos under 35" by the Hollywood Reporter after gaining recognition for her starring role in the movie "Filly Brown" and "Sleeping With The Fishes."

Latino groups have been proudly tracking the young star and recognizing her talent. Rodriguez was awarded the Lupe Award - for the late Latina actress Lupe Ontiveros - in 2013.

"Feisty, deeply intelligent and unafraid, Gina Rodriguez brings to her work the same qualities that shone through in Lupe Ontiveiros' work for decades," said María Agui Carter, chair of National Association Of Latino Independent Producers.

Check this @ NBC News.