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David Oyelowo

Actor

David Oyelowo

Born April 1, 1976 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK62 films

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.

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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.

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Interstellar posterFirst watchInterstellar20148.5as School PrincipalThe adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
The Help poster8.2The Help2011Rise of the Planet of the Apes poster7.4Rise of the Planet of the Apes2011Jack Reacher poster6.7Jack Reacher2012The Butler poster7.3The Butler2013The Last King of Scotland poster7.4The Last King of Scotland2006Selma poster7.4Selma2014Lincoln poster6.8Lincoln2012Chaos Walking poster6.5Chaos Walking2021

Filmography

62 films as actor
  1. TBAOthelloOthello
  2. TBAHeist of Benin
  3. TBAThe Return of the RocketeerThe Rocketeer
  4. TBATyler Perry's Madea's Family AffairReverend Elijah Grant
  5. 2026ClarissaPeter
  6. 2026NewbornChris Newborn
  7. 2025National Theatre Live: CoriolanusCoriolanus
  8. 2024The AfterDayo
  9. 2024The Book of ClarenceJohn the Baptist
  10. 2023Role PlayDave
  11. 2022The Tiger Who Came to TeaThe Tiger (voice)
  12. 2022See How They RunMervyn Cocker-Norris
  13. 2021Peter Rabbit 2: The RunawayNigel Basil-Jones
  14. 2021Chaos WalkingAaron
  15. 2020The Midnight SkyAdewole
  16. 2020Come AwayJack Littleton
  17. 2020The Water ManAmos Boone
  18. 2019Don't Let GoDetective Jack Radcliff
  19. 2019Brave Girl RisingNarrator
  20. 2018GringoHarold Soyinka
  21. 2018A Wrinkle in TimeThe It (voice)
  22. 2018The Cloverfield ParadoxKiel
  23. 2018Family Feud2148 Descendant
  24. 2017The Lion Guard: The Rise of ScarScar (voice)
  25. 2016A United KingdomSeretse Khama
  26. 2016Queen of KatweRobert Katende
  27. 2016Five Nights in MaineSherwin
  28. 2016NinaClifton Henderson
  29. 2015CaptiveBrian Nichols
  30. 2015Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of LothalAgent Kallus (voice)
  31. 2014A Most Violent YearD.A. Lawrence
  32. 2014SelmaDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  33. 2014InterstellarSchool Principal
  34. 2014DefaultAtlas
  35. 2014Star Wars Rebels: Spark of RebellionAgent Kallus (voice)
  36. 2014NightingalePeter Snowden
  37. 20149 KissesCustomer
  38. 2013The ButlerLouis Gaines
  39. 2013ComplicitEdward Ekubo
  40. 2012Jack ReacherDet. Emerson
  41. 2012LincolnCorporal Ira Clark
  42. 2012Middle of NowhereBrian
  43. 2012The PaperboyYardley Acheman
  44. 2012RahabCen
  45. 2012Red TailsJoe 'Lightning' Little
  46. 201196 MinutesDuane
  47. 2011The HelpPreacher Green
  48. 2011Rise of the Planet of the ApesSteven Jacobs
  49. 2009RageHomer
  50. 2008Who Do You LoveMuddy Waters
  51. 2008Sweet Nothing in My EarLeonard Grisham
  52. 2008A Raisin in the SunJoseph Asagai
  53. 2006Born EqualYemi
  54. 2006American BlendMercury
  55. 2006The Last King of ScotlandDr. Thomas Junju
  56. 2006As You Like ItOrlando De Boys
  57. 2006Shoot the MessengerJoseph Pascale
  58. 2005DerailedPatrol Officer
  59. 2005The Best ManGraham
  60. 2005A Sound of ThunderMarcus Payne
  61. 2002Tomorrow La Scala!Charlie
  62. 2001Dog Eat DogCJ