"We don't start these movies to win awards": Jamie Foxx on 'Just Mercy'

Jamie Foxx and Michael B.

Jordan answer questions on the Oscars diversity debate at London screening of 'Just Mercy'

Jamie Foxx stayed out of the Oscars diversity debate at the London premiere of his new movie "Just Mercy" on Wednesday (January 15).

The film, which tackles the subjects of wrongful convictions and racism, was snubbed by the Academy when nominations were revealed on Monday.

Asked about the lack of black nominees in top categories, Foxx said: "We don't start these movies to win awards.

We're happy about the NAACP award, the SAG award, but all of that goes into the pot of making sure that 'Just Mercy' gets out there, and then there's also a level of respect for the people that are nominated.

We don't want to cloud their moment.

You know what I mean?

It's like this is their time, they put the work in.

However anybody feels about anything, let's let them enjoy their time." The film's leading man and producer Michael B.

Jordan had a similar response.

Their comments came after the Oscar nominations announcement on Monday (January 13) revealed that only one non-white performer was nominated in the acting categories.

Jordan plays real-life U.S. civil rights attorney and social justice activist Bryan Stevenson in the film based on the latter's 2014 book 'Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.'

It tells the story of his fight to free wrongly accused Alabama death row inmate Walter McMillian, played by Foxx.