David Oyelowo isn’t going to let a little Oscar snub stop him.
As Academy Award nominations rolled out on yesterday morning, two notable names were missing from the nominees: Oyelowo and Selma director Ava DuVernay.
Their non-nominations came as a shock to many, but Oyelowo, who plays Dr. Martin Luther King in the film, is taking it all in stride.
“These things happen,” he said yesterday to Entertainment Tonight. “The prize for me is that this film is resonating so beautifully with audiences.”
Oyelowo also took a moment to address the lack of diversity expected at this year’s ceremony. Reports came out yesterday that next month’s Academy Awards would be the Whitest since 1998. However, the Selma star doesn’t think that should discourage Black actors and filmmakers.
“We’re just going to keep plugging away,” he said. “The only way to put a dent in the very real fact that there is a disproportionate amount of people who do not look like me doing what I do is something that I’m just going to fight by doing the best I can with the roles I get.”