“Selma” actress Lorraine Toussaint is keeping the film’s Oscar dreams alive, rather than dwelling on snubs in certain categories.
On Thursday morning, the film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Song for the track “Glory.” However, it was noticeably absent from the Best Director and Best Actor categories.
“Listen, [director] Ava DuVernay is a masterful filmmaker. Ava DuVernay will not be denied. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t get that [nomination for] Best Director. It does matter, she should have gotten it,” Lorraine told Access Hollywood Live‘s Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Thursday. “David Oyelowo should have gotten [nominated for] Best Actor. That’s a performance that, it’s marvelous, marvelous, inspired, transcendent performance, but you know what? We’re on the map and we’re in the room and this is how we bring about change. Sometimes change is slow and so we’re gonna actually celebrate what is and not what isn’t today.”
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Lorraine fully embraced her role as American civil rights activist Amelia Boynton, who is still “going strong” and “sharp as a tack” at 103-years-old.
“When I met her, I’m not easily star-struck, but gosh, meeting Miss Amelia,” Lorraine recalled. “I was just so honored to meet her and to sort of feel the touch of approval from her and I heard she saw the film and loves it.”
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Another iconic game-changer – none other than Oprah Winfrey – also played a pivotal role in the making of the film. She is a producer on the project and also portrays Annie Lee Cooper in the historic film.
“She was just one of the cast,” Lorraine said of Oprah. “Once you get over the fact that she is the most popular person in the world, she really does dispel that pretty quickly.”
The cast also enjoyed some bonding time – compliments of Oprah – when the director called, “Cut.”
“She had some afterhours parties, a couple of parties for the cast at the end of long shoot days where you sort of closed the doors, kicked off your shoes and potluck and, you know, there’s a little bit of R&B, a little bit of gangsta rap and we just danced some nights just to shake it all off. She’s a great gal, Miss Oprah,” Lorraine remembered fondly.
“Selma” is playing in theaters now and also catch Lorraine in “Forever” on Tuesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
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Lorraine also stars in the Ava DuVernay-directed “The Middle of Nowhere,” with Oyelowo, available now on DVD.
— Paige Feigenbaum
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