Sterling K. Brown knows he'll lose the Oscar to Robert Downey Jr. and is 'totally fine with it'

Sterling K. Brown isn’t betting on winning Best Supporting Actor at the 2024 Oscars. 

The American Fiction star revealed that he’s simply basking in the joy of having earned his first-ever Academy Award nomination because he knows the trophy will likely go to Oppenheimer's Robert Downey Jr.

“There’s no losing yet. It will happen in its own due time,” Brown said while visiting The Graham Norton Show on Friday, surrounded by his fellow guests Dakota Johnson, Domhnall Gleeson, and Colman Domingo, who is nominated in the Best Actor category for his performance in Rustin.

“Colman will probably win," Brown added. "I know that I’m not going to win.”

When Domingo and host Graham Norton both interjected to note that Brown could still very well win, the This Is Us star quickly assured them that he’s “totally fine” with the potential outcome.

“I’mma tell you: Robert Downey Jr.’s gonna win, and he’s incredibly deserving. He’s an incredible actor. Like, you should give him love,” he said. “The fact that I get a chance to be nominated along with him and Mr. [Robert] De Niro and Ryan Gosling and [Mark] Ruffalo… I’m just happy to be in the room.”

Norton, however, was not afraid to poke fun at Brown’s claims, envisioning the moment if he does actually end up snagging the award. “On the night, this will all be very humble,” he teased as Brown burst into laughter. “'I can’t believe I won!'”

Brown previously marveled over his nod in an Instagram video posted shortly after the nominations were announced last month.

“I didn’t know how else to respond to share my gratitude,” he said at the time. “I want [to say] thank you to the Academy. For somebody who’s been watching the Oscars their whole life, I’ve never been. I’ve had a few things that have been in contention or whatnot, but this will be my first time actually going to the party. and it’s an honor to get the invite.”

The 96th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 10, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC. See the full list of 2024 Oscar nominations here.

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