From America's fierce attachment to guns to the staggering statistics on police killings, there are a few aspects of U.S. culture that Chiwetel Ejiofor can't quite understand.
The British actor, who nabbed an Oscar nomination for his performance in "12 Years A Slave," told HuffPost Live that restrictions on weaponry are much tougher on the other side of the pond.
“When you’re raised in a place like England, where there’s a very limited amount of guns and so, consequently, a very limited amount of gun crimes, it very quickly becomes nonsensical to think that people should have loads of guns," he told host Karamo Brown. "But [America] is a different culture when it comes to guns than where I come from. … The idea of guns somehow in America is a completely different construct. It’s not one that I can completely get my head around. And I never will be able to."
Ejiofor credited the gun lobby for the inaction on gun control, noting the political sway of the organization and "corrupt" nature of the system. The actor said he was surprised to see the movement for control legislation reach a standstill after the "horrific" shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
"I certainly thought that after Sandy Hook, there was bound to be such a public outpouring ... that they would have to change, have to effectively change and for good," he said. "I think it was devastating [and] shocking that the machinery of government wasn't able to effect proper change after that."
As for the recent controversy over police violence -- that's yet another aspect Ejiofor can't comprehend.
"The police don't kill people, that's not their job. It's not their job to kill people. It's their job to protect people, and that's it," he said.
Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation with "Z for Zachariah" star Chiwetel Ejiofor here.
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Pivotal Moments In The U.S. Gun Control Debate
1981: The Attempted Assassination Of President Ronald Reagan(01 of08)
Open Image ModalOn March 30, 1981, President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr. outside the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Reagan's press secretary, Jim Brady, was shot in the head. (credit:NBC via Getty Images)
1993: The Brady Handgun Violence Act (02 of08)
Open Image ModalThe Brady Handgun Violence Act of 1993, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, mandated that federally licensed dealers complete comprehensive background checks on individuals before selling them a gun. The legislation was named for James Brady, who was shot during an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
1994: The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act(03 of08)
Open Image ModalThe Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, instituted a ban on 19 kinds of assault weapons, including Uzis and AK-47s. The crime bill also banned the possession of magazines holding more than ten rounds of ammunition. (An exemption was made for weapons and magazines manufactured prior to the ban.)
2007: The U.S. Court of Appeals For The District Of Columbia Rules In Favor Of Dick Heller(04 of08)
Open Image ModalIn 2007 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled to allow Dick Heller, a licensed District police officer, to keep a handgun in his home in Washington, D.C. Following that ruling, the defendants petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.
2008: Supreme Court Strikes Down D.C. Handgun Ban As Unconstitutional(05 of08)
Open Image ModalIn June of 2008, the United States Supreme Court upheld the verdict of a lower court ruling the D.C. handgun ban unconstitutional in the landmark case District of Columbia v. Heller.
Gabrielle Giffords And Trayvon Martin Shootings(06 of08)
Open Image ModalColorado Movie Theater Shooting(07 of08)
Open Image ModalSikh Temple Shooting(08 of08)
Open Image ModalOn August 5, 2012, white supremacist Wade Michael Page opened fire on a Sikhs gathered at a temple in Oak Creek, Wis., killing six and wounding four more before turning the gun on himself. (credit:Scott Olson via Getty Images)
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