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This outtake from Selma shows how much the movie meant to David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay

Alex Abad-Santos
Alex Abad-Santos is a senior correspondent who explains what society obsesses over, from Marvel and movies to fitness and skin care. He came to Vox in 2014. Prior to that, he worked at The Atlantic.

One of the most powerful performances of the year was David Oyelowo’s portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma. And for some reason that is awfully hard to fathom, Oyelowo won’t be recognized in the Best Actor category on Sunday night at the 87th Annual Academy Awards.

Knowing that, Selma director Ava DuVernay shared a special clip of her and Oyelowo on Sunday night. “I never shared this. I saved it for today. A special outtake of my hero. I love you, David. You are my Best Actor,” DuVernay tweeted, and posted the above clip of what appears to be the final day of shooting for Oyelowo.

The clip is triumphant and touching. Both DuVernay and Oyelowo are overcome with emotion, and there’s no doubt that there’s an unbelievable amount of pressure in playing and telling a story of a man as admired and mythical as MLK.

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