"You're my good luck charm, " he tells me. We first met nine years ago just before he won a Golden Globe nomination playing the leader of a slave mutiny in Steven Spielberg's Amistad. Three years ago we were together in Rose O'Grady's in New York with Jim Sheridan after a screening of In America, for which he soon after won a best supporting actor nomination.

"Maybe this time you'll help me win, " he says.

Brought up in a village in the Republic of Benin, he slept rough on the streets of Paris before his tallness - a characteristic of Yoruba tribesmen - became his passport, first to the fashion catwalks when he was spotted by the photographer Herb Ritts, and then to Hollywood.

"Of course it's been tough, " he says. "But people don't always appreciate what an advantage it can be to experience so much of Africa and still have that culture with you, while also feeling, in away, a little European and American."

Although much in demand to play AfroAmerican gangster roles, he keeps turning them down. "It would revolt me to play such condescending roles, " he says. "Is that the only way black people are seen? I'm more interested in playing men of integrity. It's a shame the way black people are often portrayed." Ciaran Carty

IRELAND TOP FIVE MOVIES (weekend 19-21 January) 1 (-) Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) Euro925,390 (-) 2 (1) The Pursuit of Happyness (Gabriele Muccino) Euro256,43 (Euro700,000 to date) 3 (2)Night At the Museum (Shaun Levy) Euro184,493 (Euro2,780,702) 4 (3) Smokin' Aces (Joe Carnahan) Euro124,072 (Euro848,446 euro) 5 (-) The Last King of Scotland (Kevin Macdonald) Euro120,175 (Euro383,914) Compiled from Sunday Tribune industry sources

US TOP FIVE MOVIES (weeken 19-21 January 1 (1) Stomp The Yard $12.3m ($40.5m to date) 2 (2)Night At The Museum £12m (204.8m) 3 (4)Dreamgirls $8m ($77.4m) 4 (-) The Hitcher $7.8m (-) 5 (3) The Pursuit of Happyness $6.3m ($146.1m) Them has pretty faces but scant character.

It's edited to look like slick supernatural forces are at work, or at least six powerful men. The reality cuts this down to size.