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David Oyelowo

Actor, director and producer

United Kingdom · b. 1976

Arts and letters

About

British actor of Nigerian descent, the first Black actor to play an English king for the Royal Shakespeare Company, as Henry VI in 2001. He played Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma and Seretse Khama in A United Kingdom, and has since worked as a director and producer.

5 answers

Question What is something you were told by a parent, teacher, or mentor that you still repeat to yourself? Time & hindsight read 21 other answers →
“David, you are going to walk among kings.” This was my mum’s prophecy when I was small. My father is from a royal family in Nigeria, so I interpreted it that way. Remarkably, she was right: I went on to play King Pelasgus, Henry VI, Martin Luther King and Seretse Khama.
Recorded The Observer / The Guardian, 19 April 2025 source ↗
Question What is the hardest thing that has happened to you, and what did you carry out of it? Failure & regret read 35 other answers →
God has never let me down. He’s a key factor in guiding my decisions and feeling safe within them. My wife and I suffered three miscarriages, one of them quite late in the pregnancy. Without faith, we would have retreated into our own corners to lick our wounds, but our love increased.
Recorded The Observer / The Guardian, 19 April 2025 source ↗

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