Director calls for comedy category at Oscars

Judd Apatow. Photo / supplied

Writer-director Judd Apatow has called for a new category at the Oscars - comedy.

Apatow, whose credits include the likes of Bridesmaids, The Forty Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, believes comedy should have its own category at the Academy Awards, to reward the actors, writers and directors in the field.

"Since comedies are rarely up for Oscars it does make sense to have a comedy category," Apatow tweeted.

"It's been like five times in a zillion years that [a comedy has] won Best Picture."

Apatow suggested the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences consider establishing a comedy category in similar fashion to the animation category that began in 2001.

In the last decade, only six films, outside of Pixar movies, that could be considered comedies were nominated for Best Picture.

- HERALD ONLINE