Los Angeles, California - A new Oscar for best casting will be added to the Academy Awards from 2026, organizers announced Thursday.

It will be the first competitive new golden statuette added to Hollywood's most important award show in more than two decades.

"Casting directors play an essential role in filmmaking, and as the Academy evolves, we are proud to add casting to the disciplines that we recognize and celebrate," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said in a statement.

Casting directors are among the first key personnel to join new film projects.

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They play an integral role in shaping the movies that ultimately reach the big screen, hiring A-list stars and performers for minor roles.

A campaign to add the annual category has been ongoing for several years. Stunt performers are also lobbying for their own Oscar, without success so far.

The statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not say whether the casting award will be handed out during the live Oscars show itself.

Currently, all 23 existing categories are presented live during the gala.

An effort to speed up the ceremony by pre-recording certain categories with less famous nominees in 2022 was hit with an industry backlash and scrapped the next year.

The last new Oscar created was best animated film in 2001.