During an interview with The Sunday Times, published online Saturday, the Now You See Me actor said while he credits his career to courage and luck, he also credits changes in America.

“When I was growing up there was no ‘me’ in the movies,” he said. “If there was a Black man in a movie he was funny. Until Sidney Poitier came and gave young people like me the idea that, ‘OK, yes, I can do that.’”

Freeman is an Oscar-winning actor, starring in an abundance of films, including Million Dollar Baby, Invictus, The Dark Knight, Se7en, Driving Miss Daisy.

Throughout his decades-long career, Freeman has previously addressed racism in the industry and society. When The Sunday Times asked him about comments he made in 2005 during an interview with CBS‘ Mike Wallace, where he said the only way to help stop racism was to stop talking about it, he responded, “Two things I can say publicly that I do not like. Black History Month is an insult. You’re going to relegate my history to a month?”

He continued, “Also ‘African-American’ is an insult. I don’t subscribe to that title. Black people have had different titles all the way back to the n-word and I do not know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses ‘African-American’. What does it really mean? Most Black people in this part of the world are mongrels. And you say Africa as if it’s a country when it’s a continent, like Europe.” He added that people would talk about Irish-Americans or Italian-Americans, but not Euro-Americans.

Another actor who has been a force to be reckoned with in the industry is Denzel Washington. He is a friend of Freeman, who is also “very envious” of the career the Remember the Titans star has built.

When the Angel Has Fallen actor was asked about a statement Washington has made, saying, “I’m very proud to be Black, but Black is not all I am,” Freeman responded, “In total agreement. You can’t define me that way.”