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David Oyelowo

Acting

David Oyelowo

EN, FR cinema · 75 credits

Born

1 April 1976 (age 50)

Birthplace

Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Also known as David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo

David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo (/oʊˈjɛloʊwoʊ/ oh-YEL-oh-woh; Yoruba pronunciation; born 1 April 1976) is a British actor, director and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award, two NAACP Image Awards, and nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award. In 2016, he was appointed as an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama. Oyelowo rose to prominence for portraying Martin Luther King Jr. in the biographical drama Selma (2014) and Peter Snowden in the HBO film Nightingale (2014), which garnered him critical acclaim. 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). He has also played supporting roles in the films Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), The Help (2011), Lincoln (2012), Red Tails (2012), and Jack Reacher (2012). On television, Oyelowo has played MI5 officer Danny Hunter in the British drama series Spooks (2002–2004) and Javert in the BBC miniseries Les Misérables (2018). He also provided the voice for Agent Alexsandr Kallus in the Lucasfilm Animation series Star Wars Rebels  (2014–2018) and Holston Becker in the Apple+ drama series Silo. He stars in and co-produces the 2023 Paramount+ western series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Description above from the Wikipedia article David Oyelowo, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known for

Filmography

Othello

Othello

ENNot rated

as Othello, Director, Producer

Heist of Benin

Heist of Benin

ENNot rated

Actor, Producer

The Return of the Rocketeer

The Return of the Rocketeer

ENNot rated

as The Rocketeer

Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Affair

Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Affair

ENNot rated

as Reverend Elijah Grant

Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

ENNot rated

Producer

Newborn poster

Newborn

EN · 20265.4

as Chris Newborn, Producer

Clarissa poster

Clarissa

EN · 2026Not rated

as Peter

National Theatre Live: Coriolanus poster

National Theatre Live: Coriolanus

EN · 2025Not rated

as Coriolanus

American Solitaire poster

American Solitaire

EN · 202510.0

Executive Producer

The After poster

The After

EN · 20245.6

as Dayo, Producer

Becoming King poster

Becoming King

EN · 20241.0

as Self, Producer

The Book of Clarence poster

The Book of Clarence

EN · 20245.8

as John the Baptist

Role Play poster

Role Play

EN · 20236.0

as Dave

The Tiger Who Came to Tea poster

The Tiger Who Came to Tea

EN · 20226.3

as The Tiger (voice)

See How They Run poster

See How They Run

EN · 20226.3

as Mervyn Cocker-Norris

Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire poster

Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire

EN · 20225.0

as Narrator

The Bastard King poster

The Bastard King

FR · 20228.0

as The Bastard King

Chaos Walking poster

Chaos Walking

EN · 20216.5

as Aaron

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway poster

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

EN · 20217.0

as Nigel Basil-Jones

Night of the Kings poster

Night of the Kings

FR · 20216.6

Executive Producer

Ferguson Rises poster

Ferguson Rises

EN · 2021Not rated

Producer

5150 poster

5150

EN · 20216.3

Executive Producer

Come Away poster

Come Away

EN · 20205.8

as Jack Littleton, Producer

The Midnight Sky poster

The Midnight Sky

EN · 20205.7

as Adewole

The Water Man poster

The Water Man

EN · 20206.1

as Amos Boone, Producer, Director

Don't Let Go poster

Don't Let Go

EN · 20196.9

as Detective Jack Radcliff, Executive Producer, Producer

Brave Girl Rising poster

Brave Girl Rising

EN · 2019Not rated

as Narrator

Gringo poster

Gringo

EN · 20185.9

as Harold Soyinka

The Cloverfield Paradox poster

The Cloverfield Paradox

EN · 20185.6

as Kiel

A Wrinkle in Time poster

A Wrinkle in Time

EN · 20185.0

as The It (voice)

Family Feud poster

Family Feud

EN · 20182.5

as 2148 Descendant

August 28: A Day in the Life of a People

2017

August 28: A Day in the Life of a People

EN · 20171.0

Actor

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar poster

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar

EN · 20178.3

as Scar (voice)

A United Kingdom poster

A United Kingdom

EN · 20166.6

as Seretse Khama, Producer

Queen of Katwe poster

Queen of Katwe

EN · 20167.2

as Robert Katende

Five Nights in Maine poster

Five Nights in Maine

EN · 20165.1

as Sherwin, Producer

Nina poster

Nina

EN · 20165.2

as Clifton Henderson

13th poster

13th

EN · 20167.8

Thanks

Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal poster

Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal

EN · 20157.9

as Agent Kallus (voice)

Captive poster

Captive

EN · 20155.7

as Brian Nichols, Producer

Interstellar poster

Interstellar

EN · 20148.5

as School Principal

A Most Violent Year poster

A Most Violent Year

EN · 20146.6

as D.A. Lawrence

Nightingale poster

Nightingale

EN · 20146.0

as Peter Snowden, Executive Producer

Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion poster

Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion

EN · 20147.3

as Agent Kallus (voice)

Default poster

Default

EN · 20144.3

as Atlas

Selma poster

Selma

EN · 20147.4

as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

9 Kisses poster

9 Kisses

EN · 20145.5

as Customer

The Butler poster

The Butler

EN · 20137.3

as Louis Gaines

Complicit poster

Complicit

EN · 20135.1

as Edward Ekubo

Jack Reacher: When the Man Comes Around poster

Jack Reacher: When the Man Comes Around

EN · 20137.4

as Self

The Paperboy poster

The Paperboy

EN · 20125.5

as Yardley Acheman

Red Tails poster

Red Tails

EN · 20126.7

as Joe 'Lightning' Little

Middle of Nowhere poster

Middle of Nowhere

EN · 20126.1

as Brian

Jack Reacher poster

Jack Reacher

EN · 20126.7

as Det. Emerson

Rahab poster

Rahab

EN · 20124.7

as Cen

Lincoln poster

Lincoln

EN · 20126.8

as Corporal Ira Clark

Rise of the Planet of the Apes poster

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

EN · 20117.4

as Steven Jacobs

The Help poster

The Help

EN · 20118.2

as Preacher Green

96 Minutes poster

96 Minutes

EN · 20115.7

as Duane

Blood and Oil poster

Blood and Oil

EN · 20105.8

as Keme Tobodo

Rage poster

Rage

EN · 20093.5

as Homer

Big Guy poster

Big Guy

EN · 20093.0

Director, Producer

A Raisin in the Sun poster

A Raisin in the Sun

EN · 20086.1

as Joseph Asagai

Who Do You Love poster

Who Do You Love

EN · 20081.0

as Muddy Waters

Sweet Nothing in My Ear poster

Sweet Nothing in My Ear

EN · 20086.3

as Leonard Grisham

The Last King of Scotland poster

The Last King of Scotland

EN · 20067.4

as Dr. Thomas Junju

As You Like It poster

As You Like It

EN · 20065.8

as Orlando De Boys

Shoot the Messenger poster

Shoot the Messenger

EN · 20065.4

as Joseph Pascale

Born Equal poster

Born Equal

EN · 20065.0

as Yemi

American Blend

2006

American Blend

EN · 20068.0

as Mercury

A Sound of Thunder poster

A Sound of Thunder

EN · 20054.9

as Marcus Payne

Derailed poster

Derailed

EN · 20056.4

as Patrol Officer

The Best Man poster

The Best Man

EN · 20055.4

as Graham

Tomorrow La Scala! poster

Tomorrow La Scala!

EN · 20028.0

as Charlie

Dog Eat Dog poster

Dog Eat Dog

EN · 20015.2

as CJ