He had played in the stage production of Volpone, Antony and Cleopatra (1999), This England: The Histories(2001), Prometheus Bound(2005), andOthello(2016), among others. While interracial marriages are still being largely frowned upon in the entertainment industry, the union between David Oyelowo and his wife Jessica has proven that there could be many like David Oyelowo's Family living happily out there. Oyelowo is best known for playing MI5 officer Danny Hunter on the British drama series Spooks (known in North America as MI-5) from 2002 to 2004. His most recent film, HBO's Nightingale, is a single-character drama in which Oyelowo portrays an American veteran who is having a mental breakdown. On television, Oyelowo has played MI5 officer Danny Hunter in the British drama series Spooks (20022004) and Javert in the BBC miniseries Les Misrables (2018). David Oyelowo also known as 'David O', is a classically trained stage actor who has quickly become one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents. Stars: Rebecca Ferguson, Common, Harriet Walter, Chinaza Uche, Avi Nash, David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Tim Robbins Premiere Date: The first two episodes premiere May 5 on AppleTV+ followed by one . It was all intentional. Inspirational quotes by Nigerians that will inspire success in your life. He was born David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo to his Nigerian father Stephen Oyelowo while the identity of his late Nigerian mother is not known. Asher, who recently graduated from college in the Spring of 2020, has been seen on rare occasions when David or his wife Jessica posts pictures or videos of the family. Like her husband, Jessica is also in the entertainment industry and has garnered an amount of fame for herself independent of her husband. As someone who has studied his cadence, I know that it's only if I hit some of his idiosyncrasies in terms of the way he spoke that you will overall feel like you are watching Dr. King. The "Selma" star says he had to "sneakily" apply to drama school knowing his parent's wouldn't approve. That was paramount as was directing the movie, which cost more than $10 million and featured a litany of unpredictable challenges: children, animals, rugged terrain and fire. When Golden Globe-nominated actor David Oyelowo was growing up, he says his Nigerian father was convinced his acting dreams were just a phase. They are blessed with four children, and the family lives in Los Angles, California. Selma Similarly, Spooks brought David to limelight and he gained recognition. In 2006, he appeared in the television film Born Equal alongside Nikki Amuka-Bird as a couple fleeing persecution in Nigeria they also both appeared in Shoot the Messenger (2006) and in The No. So I wanted a voice that didn't have any lyricism to it; I wanted it to be a little bit whiny, a little bit annoying. enough., I will till the day I die be an advocate for the d-world: Now theres The Water Man, an adventure tale written by Emma Needell about a preteen boy who, in an effort to save his dying mother, tries to find a mythical creature with healing powers that is purported to be living in the Oregon forest. A boy sets out on a quest to save his ill mother by searching for a mythic figure said to have magical healing powers. Born in England to Nigerian parents, Oyelowo's father had always told him that theirs was a royal . Just the most awful things. On social media handles including Instagram, and Facebook, David Oyelowo is active with several hundred thousand followers but is absent from Twitter. Meet the 21-year-old Forex Trader in Nigeria HabbyFX, How To Make Customers Remember You With A Professional Email Address, KreateSell Is Helping Africans Globally Monetize Their Knowledge Without Payment Restrictions, Scholarship for Excellence, from "The notion of being an artist, being an actor, for a Nigerian family is bizarre," Oyelowo says in the above "Oprah Prime" interview. He made cameo appearances in Mayo (2006), Sweet Nothing in my ear (2008), and was the main characters in Five Days (2007), and The Passion (2008), e.t.c. He graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and received the "Scholarship for Excellence" from Nicholas Hytner in 1998. Picture, NAACP Image Award, 2015, Selma Palm springs International They both met at LAMDA, had a well relation and both planned to the tight the knot and be together. document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Actor David Oyelowo discussing his show in an interview with Stephen Colbert | Photo: Youtube/TheLateShowwithStephenColbert. "And he said, 'I cannot believe this -- that in this country they would allow a black man to be the King of England, and it is my son.'". The two classically trained actors wanted to ensure they dodged all of the "divorce and dysfunction" they witnessed in the acting world. Atsushi Nishijima/Courtesy of Paramount Pictures, In 'Selma,' British Actor Brings Outsider's Perspective To MLK, The Sounds, Space And Spirit Of 'Selma': A Director's Take. David is known for his apt portrayal of the legendary Martin Luther King Jr. in the movie "Selma," and aside from being good at what he does, he is a great father to his amazing kids and a loving husband to his wife of 21 years, Jessica. But, Oyelowo had already had his eyes set on Jessica, so he joined the school's drama club in hopes of courting her. It's fascinating to work with a company of actors of such different ages, experience and talents. While a guest on "Fresh Air", David told interviewer Terry Gross that his father was a member of a royal family in Nigeria, and his last name literally means "a king deserves respect". Oyelowo plays Jack, a Los Angeles police detective who serves as occasional father figure to his niece Ashley ( Storm Reid ), stepping in whenever his brother ( Brian Tyree Henry) struggles with. But because he chooses to look forward., But now, it was no longer enough to be part of projects that accurately represented Oyelowos reality. In the U.K., the reason I was being called a "coconut" [like the insult "Oreo" in the U.S.] is because to be black in the inner city school that I was going to was to be abusive to the teachers, to be getting as many girls pregnant as you possibly can, to be in trouble with the law these were all things that were badges of honor where I grew up in North London. He was applying for a job and was spat at, physically spat at in the face. In December 2009, he played the leading role of Gilbert in the BBC TV adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel Small Island. On Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, David Oyelowo has worked with Domhnall Gleeson, and Lennie James. He graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and received the "Scholarship for Excellence" from Nicholas Hytner in 1998. The UK-born Nigerian talent has tried his . See Also: Olu Jacobs Biography, net worth and movies of a prominent Nollywood actor. Consequently, the on-screen and stage actor was named by BBC as Hollywoods diversity champion. For most people of color in this country and anywhere where race is an issue, a lot of what you are dealing with are microaggressions, not macroagressions, said Oyelowo. His net worth is estimated at around $6 million while the figure on his annual salary is not shared with the public. Also in 2014, for his performance in Nightingale, he won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Miniseries or Television Film, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special and a Satellite Award for Best Actor Miniseries or Television Film. Martin King Luther In 2006, he made his directorial debut on a production of The White Devil, produced by Inservice, his theatre company in Brighton which is co-run with fellow Brighton-based actors Priyanga Burford, Israel Aduramo, Penelope Cobbuld, and his wife, Jessica. There is little or no information about the younger Oyelowos, but they are always seen in the rare family pictures and videos that David or Jessica share. Now I have to fight for them.. The keen affinity the actor David Oyelowo has for his fellow performers is the best thing about "The Water Man," his feature directorial debut. David Oyelowo The Extra-Terrestrial, The Goonies, Stand by Me, and manages to mostly avoid the realm of treacly melodrama. Just like Asher, little information is out there about Caleb. . "The notion of being an artist, being an actor, for a Nigerian family is bizarre," Oyelowo says in . This was first broadcast on BBC 7 on 8 April 2007, with his wife Jessica Oyelowo as Mrs. Equiano. He recently signed a deal with ViacomCBS.[18]. The 14-year-old had already done the calculus and figured that if his father, a Black British man born to Nigerian parents, earned a role in a Disney film it almost certainly . But then the family moved back to Nigeria, where they lived on a street named after his family, and the actor realized that his father had not been joking. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. That's what I would refer to as a "minority mentality." Sheridan is an executive producer, alongside David C. Glasser, David Permut, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, and David Hutkin. Reeves' name might not be that familiar, but you know all about the iconic character he . I cannot talk curtains with Dr. King, we're going to pick this up afterwards. He appeared as Olaudah Equiano in Grace Unshackled The Olaudah Equiano Story, a radio play adapting Equiano's autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. Photo Credit: Wikipedia, The independent, sharp magazine, Time magazine and deadline. The actor and producer David Oyelowo began with stage roles before his break with Selma as 'Martin Luther King Jr. Praise did come his for the roles he played, example; as Louis Gaines in The Butler, Seretse Khama in A United Kingdom and Robert Katende in Queen Of Katwe. David Oyelowo. Oyelowo was shocked. The Netflix executive Tendo Nagenda, who had worked with Oyelowo on Queen of Katwe and was an original champion of The Water Man when he was at Disney, compared Oyelowo to another actor-turned-director, Kenneth Branagh. Twitter: @BiographyScoop (Jessica and their oldest son, Asher, also wrote the song that plays during the films end credits. Are you going to be playing the best friend? Oyelowo recalled. This is a guy who is an introvert. Required fields are marked *. [6] Oyelowo is an omoba (or prince) of the Yoruba people in the Nigerian chieftaincy system, his grandfather having been king of a "part of Oyo State called Awe". AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. He was raised Baptist. Asher is David's the first son, and although his parents love to keep the lives of their children out of the public eye, there have been pieces of interesting information about him. Among the nominations, he has won 2013s NAACP Image Award, Black Reel Awards, etc. About that same time, he also appeared in Oroonoko, Antony Cleopatra and others. [23] The film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival to critical raves. British actor Butler, Hamptons International Film Festival, 2013, Best Actor, Selma, "I had a friend who mocked me so mercilessly. Writer-director Ava DuVernay had been a fan of his work and had considered asking him to take the role, however before she could, Oyelowo received the script coincidentally from a friend of a friend of DuVernay's who happened to be sitting next to him on the plane and was considering investing in the project. His lead, Lonnie Chavis of This Is Us, only had a brief window before he had to return to the TV production, and the team was scrambling. But yes, I just felt, for me, personally, I just felt you can't half-do Dr. King. He is of Yoruba origin. He played Martin Luther King Jr. in the film Selma, a civil rights activist in The Butler and a member of the Tuskeegee Airmen in Red Tails. . A, Creators of online courses and knowledge products will now be able to sell their content. And lastly in Films, the Martin Luther King role player appeared in the film Middle Of Nowhere. Anyone can read what you share. My job, I feel, is to normalize my existence, he said bluntly. England, to Nigerian parents, of the Yoruba tribe. "Our marriage is strong because of some of the foundational choices we made early on." He was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, to Nigerian parents, of the Yoruba tribe. Atsushi Nishijima/Courtesy of Paramount Pictures Subsequently, he appeared as King Henry VI, in 2001 in one of Shakespeares trilogy. [33], He is married to actress Jessica Oyelowo,[7] whom he met at LAMDA and with whom he has four children. Reviewing the movie when it played in the virtual Toronto International Film Festival in September, The Guardians Benjamin Lee called it an impactful calling card for Oyelowo, whose choice of debut is a sign of exciting, and big, things to come, while the Globe and Mails Johanna Schneller described it as magical, specifically because audiences get the chance to root for a young Black male hero as he navigates a family crisis thats both specific and universal.. First on stage, Oyelowo began his stage career in 1999 when he was offered a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company playing roles in Ben Johnsons Volpone, as the title character in Oroonoko and Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra alongside Guy Henry, Frances de la Tour and Alan Bates. With David Oyelowo, Amiah Miller, Lonnie Chavis, Rosario Dawson. ", David Oyelowo with his father in March 2018 (Image: Getty Images). So it sort of didn't hold any water, really but the play very quickly dulled those voices. In a major landmark for colour-blind casting, Oyelowo was the first black actor to play an English king in a major production of Shakespeare, and although this casting choice was initially criticised by some in the media, Oyelowo's performance was critically acclaimed and later won the 2001 Ian Charleson Award for best performance by an actor under 30 in a classical play. So that is something I carry with me that I know has been of huge benefit as a result of my family and where I'm from. He has another son whose name is not known to the public and a daughter also. Jessica Oyelowo has all-together four children with her husband, David Oyelowo. David Oyelowo has taken a larger role behind the scenes to get projects made that reflect the complexities of people of color: My job, I feel, is to normalize my existence, he said. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. David has an estimated net worth of around $5 million. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards as well as nominations for two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA Award. Society, 2010, Spark Award, River Run And they were taking it on and I absolutely refused to do that because I knew it not to be true. Reflecting on his portrayal of King in the film Selma, Oyelowo has asserted: "I always knew that in order to play Dr. King, I had to have God flow through me because when you see Dr. King giving those speeches, you see that he is moving in his anointing. [29] More recently, his Yoruba Saxon company signed a first look deal with Disney. . [5] Oyelowo attended a "military-style" boarding-school named Lagos State Model College, Meiran. Entrepreneurs should stand for quality alone; never be comfortable with average and fall into mediocrity. David Oyelowo: 'I'm jealous of my peers - Benedict Cumberbatch never has to talk about his race.' . I hope that parents appreciate that kid's emotional intelligence more and I hope that kids are a bit more patient . To keep track of our activities, follow us on social media. He is not the only child of his parents and his siblings. Oyelowo rose to prominence for portraying Martin Luther King Jr. in the biographical drama film Selma (2014) and Peter Snowdin in the HBO film Nightingale (2014), both of which garnered him critical acclaim. The Water Man tells the story of Gunner (Lonnie Chavis, This Is Us) an artistic and imaginative adolescent boy who will do whatever it takes, including risking his life to find a local mythical . How David Oyelowo Earned His Father's Approval In One Touching Moment. David Oyelowo is a British actor, writer, director, and producer. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo was born on April 1, 1976 in Oxford, England to Nigerian parents. [16] In March 2010, he played the role of Keme Tobodo in the BBC's drama series Blood and Oil. The star was born to Nigerian parents. Aside from Asher and Caleb, David also has two younger kids. David Oyelowo, who soon will star in the spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is a real-life member of Nigerian royalty who will play an American icon. [22], In 2012, Oyelowo appeared in Middle of Nowhere. His father, Stephen, who is from Oyo State, Western Nigeria and his mother, whom he hasnt yet revealed her name, is from Edo State, Southern Nigeria. Oyelowo stands at a height of 5feet 9inches. "Absolutely. His father hails from Oyo, and his mother, Edo State. Although he revealed that he has brothers in June 2015 interview . 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Its such a And up until not that long ago white actors were playing Othello in Shakespeare plays in the U.K. As entrepreneurs, we should never limit our horizon. Actor David Oyelowo, director and star of the new film "The Water Man," reflected on the movie's themes of eternity and grief through the lens of his family's strong Christian faith in an interview with The Christian Post. Needell knew it was Oyelowos job all along. In 2014, he gained massive international recognition after he played the role of Martin Luther King in the film Selma. I want to be able to stand by it., Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice. The renowned international movie star was born in the late '70s to Nigerian parents in Oxford, England. So, of course, at some point I realized that that was a load of bologna so when he was then saying that we were from a royal family I was like, "Yeah, whatever." "So much we have done in our life together was mocked," Oyelowo explained. This is how bad it got: I remember, my wife, we were moving house[s] at the time and my wife called me and said, "So what do you think? The story contemplates on a pair of young Nigerian immigrants who face a lifetime of struggle while their relationship endures. If anyone messed with me at school, my dad would say, "Tell them look, see these marks on my face? self-worth., We cant afford to deny our past in a bid to be empowered. It was constantly in the press. So that was the moment I thought, "OK, I'm all the way in, here." While a guest on "Fresh Air", David told interviewer Terry Gross that his father was a member of a royal family in . It was also a notion that was being projected onto them by the society in which they live: criminality is somehow linked to being black; teenage pregnancy is linked to being black; things that are negative are linked to being black. They named Asher Oyelowo, Caleb Oyelowo, Zoe Oyelowo, and Penuel Oyelowo. The two met in . For his directorial debut, Golden Globe-nominated actor David Oyelowo ( Selma, The Butler) counted on his wife, Jessica, to help steer him in the . And his background does not affect the quality of work he delivers as he interprets every roles perfectly. Its a force that can cut through stone, and parenting is something you fail at every day, but it doesnt mean you love your children any less., The Water Man harks back to beloved films of Oyelowos youth: E.T. While a guest on "Fresh Air", David told interviewer Terry Gross that his father was a member of a royal family in . Basically, it was a non-traditional casting where he acted as an English King. I would argue that he's gay, but he's in denial about that fact that's to do with repression that comes from having been in the military, a religious upbringing that flies in the face of that. They then parlayed their efforts into films that would appeal to kids, from the microbudget Blumhouse feature Dont Let Go that he stars in with Storm Reid (A Wrinkle in Time) to last years Come Away, a fairy-tale mash-up of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, in which he starred opposite Angelina Jolie. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? Cole Hauser's Wife Sacrificed an Egg to Help Twin Sister Have Her Niece Meet the 'Sweet Valley High' Stars, Jeff Bridges Stayed in Montana for Decades after Falling for Local Waitress Inside Their Home, David Soul Was Still a Kid When He Married for the 1st Time He Fathered 5 Sons & Daughter, Who Was Mike Hagerty? Facebook: thebiographyscoop David is 46 years old as of April 2022. After more than 21 years of marriage, the couple is still very much in love and is in a blissful marriage without rumors of extra-marital affairs or divorce. However, he is best known for his next stage performance as King Henry VI[8] in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2001 productions of Shakespeare's trilogy of plays about the king as a part of its season This England: The Histories. The film, based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches, had originally been set to be directed by Lee Daniels, but the project was dropped by Daniels so he could focus on The Butler. David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo Listen OBE (/ojlowo/ oh-YEL-oh-woh;[1] born 1 April 1976[2]) is a British actor, director and producer. "This is not a proper job. Oyelowo says that his family's royal heritage did not come with financial or "positional" benefits, but it did convey a "sense of self that has enabled me, as I've gone into my life in the West, to carry myself in a way that flies in the face of the world in which I live.". [24] Oyelowo reunited with Daniels the following year in The Butler. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. And not because Black people dont do bad things or havent had bad things done to them. You know, royal families are a dime a dozen in Nigeria. Originally, David is a native of Oyo State. There was utter bemusement," the Gringo star confessed. Later on, he enrolled for an acting foundation course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). It was a major moment not just for Oyelowo, but also for his father, who had experienced intense racism in the country in his younger years. "Ah, my son the scholar," Oyelowo says, imitating his father. See Also: 10 business ideas to start with 100k in Nigeria that will make you millions. Awards, 2015, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Both are blessed with four children. He would pause at an idea at the beginning, refer to it in the middle and bring it home at the end. The film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival to critical raves. His father hails from Oyo, and his mother, Edo State. When I was cast I had no idea that I was the first black person to be afforded that opportunity at the R.S.C. Neither were big hits Come Away suffered particularly from poor reviews and a pandemic-stricken theatrical release but they were indicative of a new direction. He being a dual citizen, Oyelowo and his wife became naturalized US citizens on 20 July 2016. In 2007, Oyelowo was the reader for John le Carr's The Mission Song. [30] The first film to come out of the deal will be The Return of the Rocketeer, a Disney+-exclusive sequel to the 1991 film The Rocketeer, which Oyelowo will produce alongside his wife, Jessica, and Brigham Taylor. In Television shows, he is best known for playing M15 officer Danny Hunter on the British drama series Spooks from 2002 to 2004. Queen of Katwe ), The movie, which will debut in theaters on May 7, before a video-on-demand release, seemed to connect to Oyelowo on a metaphysical level. Website: Biographyscoop.com David Oyelowo began with the television series Maise Raine and Brothers and Sisters (1998). After all, it was Oyelowo who shaved his hairline and stood behind the pulpit, channeling the oratory skills of the singular Martin Luther King Jr. Now Oyelowo was turning his attention to a Disney movie, Katwe, and was excited to let his son know his father had finally landed at the ultimate childhood dream factory. Oyelowo, a Nigerian prince from the Awe kingdom, was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, to Nigerian parents. Photo: Karen Ballard courtesy of The Water Man. David Oyelowo's directorial debut 'The Water Man' turns a tale of a boy searching for an urban legend into one gentle adventure. But yes, Jess and I were virgins when we got married. AudioFile magazine stated: "Think of David Oyelowo as a single musician playing all the instruments in a symphony. "We've seen other people emulate that, which is the greatest compliment they can pay us," Oyelowo added. Attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), his course being paid for by the director Nicholas Hytner. And Ava and I broke down every single speech and we put in the rule of three, which he used a lot of the time. Born in England to Nigerian parents, Oyelowo's father had always told him that theirs was a royal family, a claim the actor initially discounted. - Family. This virtuoso performance makes that seem impossible. hide caption. In February 2019, it was announced that the star had joined the Peter Rabbit cast with James Corden, Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson reprising their roles as the title character, Bea and Thomas McGregor for its sequel due to be released in March 2021. I told him and his first question to me was: Wow, Daddy, thats great. With more than two decades of marriage and four children under their belts, the star of A United Kingdom boasted about how solid his connection is with his wife. Other cameos have included Mayo (guest-starring on 30 April 2006) and the television film Sweet Nothing in My Ear (2008, as defence attorney Leonard Grisham), while he has played recurring or main characters on Five Days (2007) and The Passion (2008, as Joseph of Arimathea). "And to be perfectly frank we're having the last laugh.". We endeavour for accuracy. He has also worked with Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey, Stephan James, and Kent Faulcon. He also achieved praise for his roles as Louis Gaines in The Butler (2013), Seretse Khama in A United Kingdom (2016) and Robert Katende in Queen of Katwe (2016).