Oscar Gives Invites to Mo'Nique, Bono, Sandler

(CBS)  Oscar may not like comedy, given the paucity of Academy Awards bestowed on comic actors and films. But it likes Adam Sandler.

The star of "Funny People" is among the 135 actors, craftspeople and industry executives who are this year's invitees to join the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

On the list of actors are recent Oscar winners and nominees Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique ("Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"), Christoph Waltz ("Inglourious Basterds"), Carey Mulligan ("An Education"), Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker"), Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick ("Up in the Air"), and Saoirse Ronan ("Atonement," "The Lovely Bones").

Also invited: Miguel Ferrer ("RoboCop"), James Gandolfini ("In the Loop"), Zoe Saldana ("Avatar," "Star Trek"), Peter Sarsgaard ("An Education"), and Tobin Bell ("Saw").

In a press release today the Academy said those chosen by the film body's several branch committees "have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures."

Among the directors invited are Lee Daniels ("Precious"), Lone Scherfig ("An Education"), and Jacques Audiard (Best Foreign Language Film nominee "A Prophet"). Documentary filmmakers Morgan Spurlock ("Super Size Me") and Julia Reichert ("Seeing Red") were also on the list.

The Writers branch invitees include Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell ("District 9"), Mark Boal ("The Hurt Locker"), Geoffrey Fletcher ("Precious"), Nick Hornby ("An Education"), Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci ("Star Trek"), and Tom McCarthy ("Up").

"Titanic" producer Jon Landau was not invited to join the Academy after his film won 11 Oscars, but has now been invited following the success of his last film, "Avatar."

Bono and The Edge (who ahared a Best Song nomination "The Hands That Built America" from "Gangs of New York") were invited by the music branch, along with T. Bone Burnett, who won for Best Song last year for "Crazy Heart."

"The work of these individuals has been appreciated by moviegoers all around the world," said Academy President Tom Sherak. "The Academy is proud to invite each and every one of them."

The Academy's voting membership is currently just under 6,000.