London:
Avatar star Zoe Saldana says racism is very much prevalent in Hollywoood and she had to bear its brunt while hunting for roles.
The 33-year-old actress, who rose to prominence after playing the female lead Neytiri in James Cameron's 3D blockbuster, said she feels sorry for people who discriminate on the basis of colour, reported Daily Mail online.
"Of course there's racism and discrimination in Hollywood. You go for a part and they say, 'Oh, we really liked her, she's amazing, but we wanted to go with something more traditional.' As if I'm not a traditional American! I feel sorry for people like that. They need to educate themselves. Mostly you move on and say, 'Well, I wasn't meant to work with you or be around someone like you' Other times you might say, 'You're ignorant, you're a racist. That's it. I'm out of here!," Saldana said.
The actress, whose father is a Dominican and mother a Puerto Rican, also said that off late it has become a trend to hate Americans because of the situation in the country and thinks that is being racist as well.
"Deep down, some people are enjoying the fact that the most powerful nation on Earth is struggling a little and then they deny that's racist! And that frightens me. I've witnessed racism all my life," she said.
The 33-year-old actress, who rose to prominence after playing the female lead Neytiri in James Cameron's 3D blockbuster, said she feels sorry for people who discriminate on the basis of colour, reported Daily Mail online.
"Of course there's racism and discrimination in Hollywood. You go for a part and they say, 'Oh, we really liked her, she's amazing, but we wanted to go with something more traditional.' As if I'm not a traditional American! I feel sorry for people like that. They need to educate themselves. Mostly you move on and say, 'Well, I wasn't meant to work with you or be around someone like you' Other times you might say, 'You're ignorant, you're a racist. That's it. I'm out of here!," Saldana said.
The actress, whose father is a Dominican and mother a Puerto Rican, also said that off late it has become a trend to hate Americans because of the situation in the country and thinks that is being racist as well.
"Deep down, some people are enjoying the fact that the most powerful nation on Earth is struggling a little and then they deny that's racist! And that frightens me. I've witnessed racism all my life," she said.
