Spike Lee fears spat with Clint Eastwood will cost him an Oscar

Washington, Sept 10 : American film director Spike Lee fears that the public argument he had with American actor Clint Eastwood may have botched any chances of him winning an Oscar.

Lee had criticised Eastwood for the lack of African-Americans in his war epics 'Flags of Our Fathers' and 'Letters From Iwo Jima'.

The director now fears that the controversy, which has risen from his remarks, may have ruined his chances of getting an Academy Award for his new movie 'Miracle at St. Anna'.

"My wife Tonya told me I may have hurt my chances with the Clint Eastwood stuff... They (Oscar voters and Academy bosses) take everything into account with me. They take into account that I like the Knicks or that I'm in New York," Contactmusic quoted him as telling King magazine.

Lee believes that being a New Yorker has already cost him an Oscar Best Director nomination in the past.

"If you did a survey, the bulk of the people who vote in the Academy are in Los Angeles. There's definite bias, considering that my films are typically New York-based," he said.

To clarify what he meant, he stated upon how his movie 'Do The Right Thing' was not even considered for an Oscar the year 'Driving Miss Daisy' claimed Best Film.

"Nobody is watching motherf**king Driving Miss Daisy today. Do The Right Thing is being taught in classes at major universities and high schools all over the world. That's how you're supposed to test art. Does the work stand up?" he added.

ANI