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Much has been made over the last week or so of best leading actress Oscar nominee, Gabourey Sidibe – her weight, and the likelihood (or not) of her having a long and successful career ahead of her. However, what seems to have been overlooked is that, whether or not you think she has talent as an actress or not (I think she has), she’s already achieved more acclaim for her one film role than most black actors can hope to achieve in a lifetime… and a couple more film and TV roles, to boot! So she’s already ahead of the game. How long she stays there though is anyone’s guess, but the same could be said of most black thesps, especially if film is their chosen medium… and even more especially if they have their sights set on Hollywood.

So what about lesser known black actors who’ve graced our screens recently,...

'An Education'"An Education" is a wonderfully bittersweet coming-of-age story featuring a top-notch ensemble. Set in 1961 London, the film recounts what happens when Jenny (Carey Mulligan), a bright but bored high school student, falls in love with David (Peter Sarsgaard), an urbane older man who introduces her to chamber music, art auctions, late-night concerts, and sex. He is also a bit of a con man.Mulligan doesn't hit a false note, conveying the emotional life of a highly intelligent yet profoundly innocent 17-year-old girl. In Jenny's eyes, David is the romantic outsider, more so as he slyly seduces Jenny's reluctant parents—especially Jack, her irascible, buffoonish dad (Alfred Molina). Conceived in broad comic strokes, Jack borders on caricature, yet Molina makes him plausible and, in the end, sympathetic. Jack is misguided but he loves his daughter. Sarsgaard is fine as a warm and loving guy who can't help being a bastard as well.