Kobe Bryant had his membership nomination to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences denied.
The Short Films and Feature Animation branch voted in favor of having Kobe entry into the organization, but the Academy’s governors committee overruled the decision saying that he needs to build up a larger body of work before becoming a member.
Back in March, Bryant and Glen Keane won the Academy Award in the Best Animated Short Film category for Dear Basketball. Typically, winning an Oscar would automatically allow someone to join the Academy. However, the organization decided that Kobe should not make the cut, for now.
Aside from being known in basketball, he’s been expanding in other areas.
“I think the important thing for me is to establish myself within this industry as a serious creator,” he said. “I mean, I can write. I can edit. I can produce. I can do those things at a serious level. It’s not something that’s kind of a one-time passion sort of thing. It’s just something that we do every single day.”
At this point it’s only a matter of time until he receives that invite to the Academy.