Chiwetel Ejiofor: Spirit Awards 2014 with Girlfriend Sari Mercer!

Chiwetel Ejiofor walks the carpet at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards held at the beach on Saturday (March 1) in Santa Monica, Calif.

The 36-year-old actor was joined at the event by his gorgeous girlfriend Sari Mercer.

Chiwetel is nominated for Best Male Lead, going up against Nebraska‘s Bruce Dern, Inside Llewyn Davis‘ Oscar Isaac, Fruitvale Station‘s Michael B. Jordan, Dallas Buyers Club‘s Matthew McConaughey, and All is Lost‘s Robert Redford.

Also pictured inside: Chiwetel‘s 12 Years a Slave co-star Paul Dano walking the red carpet to support their film, which is nominated for Best Feature.