David Oyelowo claims Oscars only go to black actors in 'subservient' roles

David Oyelowo, who played Martin Luther King Jr. in 'Selma' has said that the problem is that the Academy gravitates toward certain types of black characters and game-changing leaders aren't one of them.

After the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed their Oscar nominees Jan. 15, the Internet revolted in outrage because all 20 nominations in acting categories were given to white performers, Us Magazine reported.

Speaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the 38-year-old actor said that generally speaking, black people have been celebrated more for when they are subservient, when they are not being leaders or kings or in the center of their own narrative driving it forward.

'The Butler' star added that until '12 Years a Slave' and 'The Butler' did so well, films like 'Selma' were told through the eyes of white protagonists because there is a fear of white guilt.

Oyelowo continued that people have a very nice white person who holds black people's hands through their own narrative and also, people don't want black people to see that pain again, so they don't really go into what that pain was in an authentic way.

Oyelowo noted that both of those things are patronizing to the audience, adding film industry can't have people curating culture in this way when people need to see these things to get past them.

Although Oyelowo was left out of the Best Actor category, his film was recognized in the Best Picture category.