He is the Lewisham-born actor who, at the age of 73, finds himself in the running for an Oscar.
While Delroy Lindo can now reflect that being an Oscar nominee « has a certain ring to it », the Sinners star says he was taken by surprise at the news when it first broke.
« My son called me, » he explains. « I will not say I was asleep, but I was not fully awake, and I’m listening to my son very excitedly say how proud of me he was.
« And I then noticed on my phone I had 179 Text messages, so I knew that something was up. »
While he says he is happy for viewers in the UK to « absolutely » root for him in the best supporting actor category on Oscars night, the Sinners star – who moved to the US in his teens – says he no longer considers himself a Brit.
« My career has been birthed and nurtured in America, » said Lindo. « I was born in Lewisham hospital, my family’s from Jamaica, and my mom was part of the Windrush generation. I am British to that extent, that is my reality.
« [But] I thank God I came to America, that I went to acting school in America, that I was a New York-based theatre actor for 10 years before I started doing film, and I thank God Spike Lee saw me on Broadway. »
Pic: PA
As an actor who has quietly built a career of elevating whatever project he’s in, some of Lindo’s most unforgettable work has been with Lee.
In films like Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Clockers and Da 5 Bloods, he’s played men shaped by power, anger and history.
While, arguably, the recognition is long overdue, his performance in Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror Sinners is a stand-out one.
Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Sinners. Pic: Warner Bros
His role as the world-weary blues musician Delta Slim is one of the most layered characters of the piece – and one of the most talked about moments in the Jim Crow-era horror is the monologue Lindo delivers about a friend who was lynched.
« I started hearing from audiences how that scene was resonating for them, and at that point I knew there was something of real value, » he explains.
« The fact that Ryan gifted me that monologue in the car, that’s really rich stuff for any actor to wrestle with. »
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Regardless of how many awards Sinners wins, with its record-breaking 16 nominations it has already made it into the Oscars history books.
Whatever happens, Lindo says he’s looking forward to celebrating all that he and his co-stars have already achieved.
The Oscars takes place in Los Angeles on 15 March.
