Ryan Coogler insisted he didn't turn down an invitation to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences "out of animosity".

The Sinners filmmaker was asked to join the organisation in 2016, and while it has been speculated that he snubbed the body as a result of never being nominated for his work, he insisted he is simply too busy with his commitments to his film school and unions.

He told the New York Times newspaper: "It's not out of animosity.

"And I'm not good at judging things, bro. The act of 'Hey, pick the best thing' is very stressful for me, even when there's no stakes involved."

The 39-year-old director is more interested in the everyday elements of his job than premieres and awards ceremonies.

He said: "People see the tuxedo, they see the red carpet, but it's real blue-collar folks making these movies happen

"Most days, I'm wearing coveralls and Columbia gear, trying to find solutions that aggregate up to a story. And that enabled me not to engage with any narratives around what it is that we do."

Ryan seeks out stories that all his audiences can relate to.

He said: "There's got to be something deep down within us that understands.

"My mission every time I pick up a camera is to know that the only reason I have this job is because we're basically all the same in different circumstances."

The Creed director never expected to enjoy the success he has.

He said: "I didn't think I would last in this industry, looking at it pretty fatalistically."

And reflecting on the 2020 death of his Black Panther lead star Chadwick Boseman, he added: "Then Chad died, so I was questioning everything."

But once he'd finished work on the Black Panther sequel, Ryan began to feel more comfortable with his career.

He said: "There were points in that movie where it felt unfinishable, so when we put it out and I was happy with the film, I felt like, 'OK, I could do this for the rest of my life.'"

And he's excited for the things to come once he's finished working on the third Black Panther film.

Asked if he's thought about what the future will look like, he said: "To be honest with you, yes. The image I get is a green meadow with Bay Area fog on it, and it's dawn. That's what I see after that movie, because it feels like open land, open opportunity."