Actor David Oyelowo reacts to racist slur

The British star of Oscar-nominated civil rights drama Selma, David Oyelowo, has described the furore over Benedict Cumberbatch’s use of an outdated term for black people as “silly” and “ridiculous” Cumberbatch, Oscar-nominated for his turn as codebreaker Alan Turing in second world war drama The Imitation Game, apologised earlier this week and said he was […]

The British star of Oscar-nominated civil rights drama Selma, David Oyelowo, has described the furore over Benedict Cumberbatch’s use of an outdated term for black people as “silly” and “ridiculous” Cumberbatch, Oscar-nominated for his turn as codebreaker Alan Turing in second world war drama The Imitation Game, apologised earlier this week and said he was “devastated” to have caused offence after describing black performers as “coloured” during an interview in which, ironically, he was talking about the limited opportunities available to British actors of African or Caribbean origin.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Oyelowo, who plays Martin Luther King Jr in Selma . Speaking to the BBC at the UK premiere of Ava DuVernay’s period drama, which is nominated for best film and best song at next month’s Oscars, he said he had reached out to support his fellow Briton in the wake of his slip.
Cumberbatch had cited 12 Years a Slave’s Chiwetel Ejiofor and Oyelowo himself as two black British performers who had achieved greater success in Hollywood than they might have found in the UK during an appearance on a US talk show when he referred to “coloured” actors.
 “When you look at what he was actually saying it’s clear that he’s a huge supporter of black performers,” said Oyelowo. “To attack him for a term, as opposed to what he was actually saying, I think is very disingenuous and is indicative of the age we live in where people are looking for sound bites as opposed to substance.
“I think it’s just part of the silly news cycle that we all feed off and it will go away like chip paper as it does,” added Oyelowo. “He’s a brilliant actor, he gives a brilliant performance in Imitation Game and, like I say, it’s just a diversion from what we should be talking about, which is that astounding performance.”
Diversity in film has been in the headlines after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises the Oscars, handed all 20 acting nominations across four categories to white actors for the 2015 ceremony next month. Oyelowo, who missed out on a nod for his widely praised turn as King, said the issue remained “absolutely” a concern within Hollywood.
“You can see that in the fact every time a film of this size and stature comes up,” he said. “We’re talking about diversity again and that’s because there isn’t enough of it.”
But Oyelowo added: “Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice. I intend to be part of the solution and not the problem. You’ve just got to keep on banging out good performances.”
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