Film academy president welcomes new members

BEVERLY HILLS, California - Jeanne Tripplehorn has been a professional actress for more than 25 years. But as a new member of the film academy, she's almost as giddy as her first day on set.

"I'm already involved in all these different committees," she says. "I love film so much ... so to be invited to become a member of the academy is the greatest honor I could have."

Tripplehorn was among the guests at a private reception on Monday for the newest members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The organization invited a record class of 774 new members in June - 39 percent female and 30 percent nonwhite - representing 57 countries as part of an ongoing effort to diversify its ranks. The group previously had around 6,200 members.