Delroy Lindo immediately realised that Sinners was 'special'

Delroy Lindo knew Sinners was a "special" film as soon as he read the script.

The 73-year-old star has earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of harmonica player Delta Slim in Ryan Coogler's horror flick and he explained how he soon realised that the acclaimed picture would be a big hit.

Delroy told Variety: "Concerning Sinners, it's like being in receipt of a gift. Oftentimes it's hard to talk about acting without sounding precious or pretentious, because it is a job, but it's a job of work. There's work and then there's work. And this work is special.

"I knew it was when I read it. Looking back on the experience, the reason it's difficult to answer is that when I'm working, I'm fully in the process, with virtually no room to take a half-step back.

"But there are moments when things feel right. There's a scene in The Cider House Rules where it's raining, and I'm calling to Tobey Maguire's character, Homer. Something about the groundedness and rightness of that moment let me know something was happening."

The Harder They Fall star continued: "On Sinners, sitting around with my castmates, there were moments when we were talking among ourselves that felt special.

"And the scene right before Mike (B. Jordan) put the stake through (the lead vampire) Remmick; when Ryan was setting it up, he played a piece of music on a loop that really set the tone.

"I never stepped outside and said, 'This is special', but I was experiencing the specialness."

Lindo recalled how he was moved to tears on his final day of filming as both Coogler and the cast hailed his work.

The Da 5 Bloods actor said: "On my last day of filming, as I was about to leave the set, Ryan and some of the actors spoke about what my work had meant to them and what the process of working together had meant to them.

"I said a few words through my blubbering tears because I was so moved. That was special, and it felt special in the moment – a deep, deep-seated feeling of appreciation."

Sinners is the latest successful movie to be directed by Coogler – following on from Creed and Black Panther – and Delroy thinks that the filmmaker's communicative approach is key to his acclaimed work.

He said: "What's beautiful about it is that he's like an open vessel. The communicative lines can flow back and forth because this one's open and that one's open.

"And those exchanges are centred on something of real substance – whether it be Fruitvale Station, Black Panther or Creed.

"And I hope I don't get in trouble for saying this, but have you ever seen Sylvester Stallone be any better? Wonderful, understated, nuanced, painful, tragic – all of it.

"(Ryan) creates these environments, seemingly effortlessly, where people can flourish and do their best work."