During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Sterling K. Brown of ‘American Fiction’ expressed his thoughts about the upcoming Oscars, saying he would be totally okay with losing to Robert Downey Jr.
Brown shared his prediction for the Best Supporting Actor category, in which he is nominated. The actor speculated that the award would likely go to Robert Downey Jr. for his role in ‘Oppenheimer,’ directed by Christopher Nolan:
“There’s no losing yet. It will happen in its own due time. … I’mma tell you: Robert Downey Jr.’s gonna win, and he’s incredibly deserving. He’s an incredible actor. Like, you should give him love.”
Despite his nomination, Brown said there is a strong possibility of Colman Domingo winning an Oscar in the Best Actor category for ‘Rustin.’ However, he was clear about his feelings towards potentially losing to Downey Jr.
Brown’s Nomination in the 2024 Oscars
The category is competitive this year, with Brown facing off against Mark Ruffalo, Robert De Niro, and Ryan Gosling, in addition to Downey Jr.
For the first time in Oscars history, two Black actors from the same film have been nominated for lead and supporting roles. When he heard of his nomination, Brown shared his excitement online. Celebrating this achievement, he said the following in an Instagram video:
“I want to [say] thank you to the Academy. For somebody who’s been watching the Oscars their whole life — I’ve never been. Somebody told me it was history being made and that both Jeffrey and I were the first time that two Black actors in the same movie for lead and supporting got nominated. So it’s nice to be part of a little bit of history, which is really, really cool.”
‘American Fiction‘ has been a critical success, named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the American Film Institute and receiving five nominations at the 96th Academy Awards. The film’s accolades include Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, with Brown’s co-star Jeffrey Wright receiving a Best Actor nod.
On the other side, Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer’ has earned him widespread acclaim, including a Golden Globe win and his third Academy Award nomination.
Looking ahead, both actors have a busy schedule. Brown is set to star in a series of projects including ‘Invincible,’ ‘Washington Black,’ ‘Atlas,’ ‘The Psalm of Howard Thurman,’ ‘Paradise City,’ and ‘Defender.’ Downey Jr., meanwhile, is gearing up for roles in “Sherlock Holmes 3,’ ‘All-Star Weekend,’ and ‘The Sympathizer.’
