David Oyelowo Biography

David Oyelowo is the British stage actor who wowed audiences on the big screen with his portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 2014 film Selma. Born in Oxford and of Nigerian descent, he made a splash soon after graduating from the London Academy of Dramatic Art when he portrayed King Henry VI on the stage in 2001. Oyelowo was the first black actor to appear as Henry in a major Shakespeare production, and the response was so great he wrote about his experiences in 2003 for the book series Actors on Shakespeare. On British television he was best known for years for playing a spy on the series Spooks (2002-004). After years of small roles in big productions and big roles in small productions, Oyelowo broke out in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, playing the headstrong elder son of the title character (Forest Whitaker). His performance in Selma earned Oyelowo a Golden Globe nomination for best actor. His other movies include The Last King of Scotland (2006, with Whitaker), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, starring James Franco), Lincoln (2012, directed by Steven Spielberg) and Interstellar (2014, starring Matthew McConaughey).