David Oyelowo said the lack of ethnic diversity on British television and cinema is getting worse rather than better.
The Selma actor said the issue is forcing British actors to go to the US to find roles.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live's Kermode and Mayo Film Review, he said: "You have to go where the ground is fertile, so we feel compelled to go to America."
His remarks follow the controversy around the lack of diversity among this year's Oscar nominations.
He said the problem is getting worse, forcing studios to make rules regarding ethnic diversity on-screen.
"It is why different channels are having to set specific remits for themselves to make sure certain percentages of who they have in shows are people of colour.
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"It is a shame we're having to have that in place in the 21st century, in a very clearly multi-cultural society."
Oyelowo said the lack of diversity among the decision makers reflects who is cast in the protagonist roles.
"They are white, male, of a certain age and that is reflective of what we see on our screens."
The actor recently defended Benedict Cumberbatch after use of term 'coloured' during an interview, where he was promoting ethnic diversity on-screen.
Oyelowo's full interview will be aired on Friday, February 6 on BBC Radio 5 Live at 2pm.
Watch the trailer for Selma below:
Tasha is a freelance writer for with a particular interest in the representation of women in film and TV. After graduating with a Literature degree then journalism qualifications with News Associates a few years further back than she’d like to admit, Tasha began her freelance career. She’s worked as a writer, editor and commissioning editor for a number of publications including Digital Spy. She is also a theatre critic. LinkedIn
