David Oyelowo
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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
Credits
Interstellar (2014)
as School Principal
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
as Steven Jacobs
Jack Reacher (2012)
as Det. Emerson
The Help (2011)
as Preacher Green
The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
as Kiel
Lincoln (2012)
as Corporal Ira Clark
Chaos Walking (2021)
as Aaron
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021)
as Nigel Basil-Jones
The Butler (2013)
as Louis Gaines
Role Play (2023)
as Dave
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
as Dr. Thomas Junju
Red Tails (2012)
as Joe 'Lightning' Little
The Midnight Sky (2020)
as Adewole
Selma (2014)
as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
A Most Violent Year (2014)
as D.A. Lawrence
Come Away (2020)
as Jack Littleton
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
as The It (voice)
See How They Run (2022)
as Mervyn Cocker-Norris
A Sound of Thunder (2005)
as Marcus Payne
A United Kingdom (2016)
as Seretse Khama
Derailed (2005)
as Patrol Officer
Queen of Katwe (2016)
as Robert Katende
The Water Man (2020)
as Amos Boone
The Paperboy (2012)
as Yardley Acheman
Gringo (2018)
as Harold Soyinka
The Book of Clarence (2024)
as John the Baptist
Don't Let Go (2019)
as Detective Jack Radcliff
The After (2024)
as Dayo
The Best Man (2005)
as Graham
Born Equal (2006)
as Yemi
Captive (2015)
as Brian Nichols
Newborn (2026)
as Chris Newborn
Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Affair (—)
as Reverend Elijah Grant
As You Like It (2006)
as Orlando De Boys
A Raisin in the Sun (2008)
as Joseph Asagai
9 Kisses (2014)
as Customer
Nina (2016)
as Clifton Henderson
96 Minutes (2011)
as Duane
Family Feud (2018)
as 2148 Descendant
Middle of Nowhere (2012)
as Brian
Othello (—)
as Othello
The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar (2017)
as Scar (voice)
Dog Eat Dog (2001)
as CJ
Rage (2009)
as Homer
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion (2014)
as Agent Kallus (voice)
Five Nights in Maine (2016)
as Sherwin
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (2022)
as The Tiger (voice)
Clarissa (2026)
as Peter
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal (2015)
as Agent Kallus (voice)
Jack Reacher: When the Man Comes Around (2013)
as Self
Who Do You Love (2008)
as Muddy Waters
Sweet Nothing in My Ear (2008)
as Leonard Grisham
Nightingale (2014)
as Peter Snowden
August 28: A Day in the Life of a People (2017)
Actor
Complicit (2013)
as Edward Ekubo
National Theatre Live: Coriolanus (2025)
as Coriolanus
Shoot the Messenger (2006)
as Joseph Pascale
Becoming King (2024)
as Self
Tomorrow La Scala! (2002)
as Charlie
Rahab (2012)
as Cen
Default (2014)
as Atlas
The Return of the Rocketeer (—)
as The Rocketeer
The Bastard King (2022)
as The Bastard King
Heist of Benin (—)
Actor
Brave Girl Rising (2019)
as Narrator
American Blend (—)
Actor
Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire (2022)
as Narrator