Ruth Negga rejects Samuel L. Jackson's casting claims about race

The actresses response comes after Jackson, who has been outspoken on race issues over the years, was asked back in March why he thought British actors was cast in the US-based films, like the casting of David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. in the historical drama Selma.

“There are some brothers from America that could have been in that movie," he said on US radio. "That would have had a different idea of how King thinks, how King felt. Instead, DuVernay and co. hired an English man."

Asked why he thought directors might choose British actors, Jackson said:"They're cheaper than us for a start. And [directors] think they're better than us because they're classically trained."

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Ruth Negga - who received an Oscar nomination for her role in the American-based drama Loving - was also asked about the comments. Responding to Jackson, she said: "It defeats the point of being an actor and the joy of seeing someone slip into another person’s skin.

"I really don’t think someone like Jeff Nichols (Loving director) would employ me just because I’m cheaper than someone else.

"He’s an artist and I think he would want the best person for the job, that’s the bottom line."