EXCLUSIVE: Sterling K. Brown Reveals the Moment He Felt 'Accepted' in Hollywood

The 40-year-old actor is nominated for a Critics' Choice Award for his role as Christopher Darden in 'The People v. O.J. Simpson,' but says he still hasn't spoken to the attorney.

Sterling K. Brown has had a pretty good year -- and he knows it!

ET's Cameron Mathison caught up with the 40-year-old actor on the red carpet at the Critics' Choice Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, where he opened up about the moment he truly felt "accepted" in Hollywood.


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Brown is nominated for two Critics' Choice Awards -- individually for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his role in The People v. O.J. Simpson, and with the cast of This Is Us for Best Drama Series -- but revealed it was another awards show moment that boosted his confidence.

"When I walked up on stage at the Emmys and when people stood up, it was a really sort of emotional overwhelming moment. It was like I had been accepted," he confessed. "Like, people I'd been watching for years and appreciated their work for years, like they appreciated me. That was a cool moment."

Brown won his Best Supporting Actor Emmy for his role as Christopher Darden in The People v. O.J. Simpson, but says he still hasn't spoken to the former O.J. prosecutor.


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"I know he said something, but I feel like [it would have to happen] organically [for me to] look forward to it. At this point in time, it would be kind of forced and awkward," he revealed. "Hopefully we'll just bump into each other in Culver City, something random like that, like chatting it up. If that happens I look forward to it."

"I'd say hi. I'd talk to him," Brown continued. "I would tell him the level of empathy that I had for him during the course of that trial after sort of walking through in his shoe prints a little bit, [and] say thank you for staying the course."

Brown expressed similar sentiments when ET spoke to him just after his Emmy win in September.

"I called him. I called him before, and he respectfully declined," he revealed. "I don't think it would be right to call him again. He's a grown man living his life. He's gotta go with God, Mr. Darden. He's gotta do what he feels like doing."


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See more in the video below.