David Oyelowo British actor and producer Date of Birth: 01.04.1976 Country: Great Britain

1. Childhood and Early Life
2. Education and Acting Debut
3. Theatre Career
4. Film Breakthrough
5. Notable Projects and Awards
6. Personal Life and Values
7. Current Projects and Future Endeavors

Childhood and Early Life

David Oyelowo was born on April 1, 1976, in Oxford, England. His early years were spent in the United Kingdom, but at the age of five, he moved to Nigeria, where his family was part of the royal Yoruba tribe. He grew up with a sense of opportunity and carried this belief in his abilities with him throughout his life.

Education and Acting Debut

Oyelowo lived in Lagos, Nigeria, the largest city in the country, until he was 14. His father worked for the national airline, and his mother was employed by the railway company. He attended boarding school, where he embraced a military-style approach to discipline.

Upon returning to the UK as a teenager, David discovered his passion for acting. He joined the National Youth Theatre's studio program and impressed his instructors so much that he received the Nicholas Hytner Scholarship to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Theatre Career

After completing his acting training, Oyelowo joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He became the first Black actor to play an English king in a production of William Shakespeare's "Henry VI," earning him the Ian Charleson Award. David's other theatrical credits include "Antony and Cleopatra," "Oroonoko," and other productions alongside renowned British actors, including Alan Bates.

Oyelowo continued his stage work after moving to the United States. He starred in an off-Broadway production of "Othello," opposite Daniel Craig. He also ventured into directing, staging a 2006 production of "The White Devil."

Film Breakthrough

David's breakthrough role came in the British television series "Spooks," where he played an MI5 agent for three seasons. He began balancing work on UK projects with roles in American productions, gaining wider recognition for his performances in "Lincoln," "The Butler," and "Jack Reacher."

Major leading roles soon followed for Oyelowo. In the 2014 historical drama "Selma," he portrayed Martin Luther King Jr., alongside Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey, and Tom Wilkinson.

Notable Projects and Awards

Oyelowo's filmography expanded to include "Interstellar," "Nightingale," and "The Paperboy." In "Nightingale," he played a lonely 30-year-old war veteran navigating the dark recesses of his mind, earning nominations for a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award. By this point, David had established his own production company, which released the film.

In 2019, he appeared in the science fiction thriller "Captive State" as Jack Radcliffe, with Storm Reid playing his on-screen niece. The following year, he starred in Brenda Chapman's fantasy drama "Come Away," which reimagined classic fairy tales and cast Angelina Jolie as his wife. Oyelowo was drawn to the film's bold concept and its seamless weaving of well-known stories into a cinematic narrative on par with superhero movies.

Personal Life and Values

Oyelowo met his future wife, Jessica, while attending the National Youth Theatre in London. They married in 1998 and have four children together. Jessica's career as an actress, producer, and composer has thrived alongside her role as a mother.

As David's Hollywood career took off, the family relocated permanently to the United States, settling in Los Angeles and gaining American citizenship in 2016.

Raised as a Baptist, Oyelowo acknowledges God's role in shaping his journey. He recognizes the social capital he had at the outset, which many individuals do not possess, and the unique path Providence carved for him.

Current Projects and Future Endeavors

David continues to expand his creative horizons. He has starred in five projects in 2023, including the action comedy "The Man from Toronto," opposite "The Big Bang Theory" star Kaley Cuoco.

Additionally, Oyelowo portrays Sheriff Holston in the Apple TV+ science fiction series "Surface," set in a distant future where 10,000 survivors live in an underground bunker, believing the surface world has been destroyed.

David has also taken on the titular role in the miniseries "Bass Reeves," a classic Western spin-off from the popular "Yellowstone" franchise. He plays the first Black U.S. Deputy Marshal, tasked with upholding law and order in a harsh and violent world.