Gary Oldman

I have known and seen Gary Oldman’s work for over 30 years.

I, like most others, saw him as an underground, independent film hero tackling roles that would not usually pack North American movie theatres. 

My earliest memories related to Oldman are watching films like Romeo Is Bleeding, True Romance, and Dracula during the early 1990s.  Those tended to be films that would leave the audience with more questions than answers by the time the credits rolled.

Later on, he appeared in bigger budget films like Air Force One, The Professional, and The Fifth Element. 

None of those films were bigger budget than the revived Christopher Nolan Batman series.  He was perfectly cast as the dependable, reliable, dutiful Commissioner Gordon. 

As much as I knew his name and face in many films over the years, I truly respected him as an actor when I saw The Contender.  He transformed himself  perfectly into the role of the jealous, antagonist politician to Joan Allen’s character.  Ideally, Oldman should have been nominated and received the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work in the film.  Instead, that honor of Best Supporting Actor nomination went to Jeff Bridges. 

Gary Oldman was finally nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars ceremony in February 2012.  Unfortunately, he lost to Jean Dujardin in The Artist.  I hadn’t seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy until months later.  Oldman again transformed himself into the middle-aged British bureaucrat. 

I read an article stating that in the near future there will be a revision of the Oscars and the consensus will be that Gary Oldman should have received the award for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. I haven’t seen The Artist yet but it is obvious Oldman was the artist I was rooting for to win the coveted award. 

We didn't have to wait long for Oldman to receive an Oscar for again transforming himself into Winston Churchill for Darkest Hour.    

Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier is the most important Black man in the history of Hollywood. You didn't need me to tell you that. He is also one of the most important men in the history of me.

There was a time in my life when I wanted to be the Best Actor of this generation, of this decade. Among my role models and inspirations was Sidney Poitier. I grew up hearing his name called, saw books with his face on them and saw him in movies long before I dreamed of being like him.

I would have liked for him to have won the Oscar for In The Heat of The Night but his landmark Best Actor win for Lillies of the Field gives me no reason to complain.



Anytime I saw him walk on the Oscars stage was uplifting and inspirational because I wanted to be there one day, or in my wildest dreams, as a multiple winner.

I can't guess how many times I rewound the scene where he learns Willie's gone. I imagined my own moments of brilliance on the screen. Thank you to whoever posted this video up!

I had a lengthy rough draft about Sidney Poitier hanging around for a long time but as past history proves, that was not the best way for me to write about him. Short and sweet seems to be the way to go. I decided to take the time to write about the legendary actor and his influence on my life.

Sidney Poitier celebrates his heavenly birthday in February.