British actor David Oyelowo studied theater in college and premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1999, where he’s best-known for his award-winning performance as King Henry VI in the history plays of the 2001 season. He began working in British TV and films, but it wasn’t until he moved to the U.S. that he began to get more significant roles. Some of the best have been historical, including one upcoming frock flick!
Dr. Junju in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Orlando De Boys in As You Like It (2006)
Joseph Asagai in A Raisin in the Sun (2008)
Joseph of Arimathea in The Passion (2008)
Muddy Waters in Who Do You Love (2008)
Gilbert in Small Island (2009)
Preacher Green in The Help (2011)
Joe ‘Lightning’ Little in Red Tails (2012)
Corporal Ira Clark in Lincoln (2012)
Louis Gaines in Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma (2014)
Seretse Khama in A United Kingdom (2016)
Javert in Les Misérables (2019)
Jack in Come Away (2020)
What’s your favorite of David Oyelowo’s historical costume movie or TV roles?
As You Like It! Such a fun one. He was great.
Not a costume drama, but I first fell for him in the UK TV series Spooks.
So did I. Danny!
Danny, Tom and Zoe (with the addition of Ruth in the 2nd series) will always be my absolute favourites.
I’d forgotten how much costume drama he’d actually been in!
Oh yeah! I remember his Javert. When a man looks that good in period costume you don’t care about his color.
Oh, yeah! I rather liked the diverse casting of the latest Les Miserables. Oyelowo was not only a fantastic Javert, but the potential racist implications of a man of African descent living in 19th century France (which is historically plausible) adds to the inferiority complex that drives Javert’s decisions.
Alexandre Dumas is of course famously biracial. It doesn’t seem to have held him back.
Absolutely, but he was the son of a nobleman, which have him rare opportunities—and he still experienced discrimination, since he wrote a novel about it.
I’ve only seen him in As You Like it and Selma, and I have to go with As You Like It. Problematic as the Japanese setting can be, his costumes as Orlando hit my sweet spot by being the kind of thing the Jedi would also wear. And I like me some Jedi.
I haven’t seen most of the films shown above; but I heartily recommend “Small Island”, a two-part (I think) miniseries that was excellent. It’s also where I noticed that Benedict Cumberbatch can really act (he has a supporting, but important role). I really need to see “Red Tails” if I can find it.
I just noticed this weekend that ‘Small Island’ is on BritBox too!
Oyelowo was magnificent in Selma—now I want to see his other films, including the new visioning of Alice in Wonderland.
Mr Oyelowo is swoon worthy and extremely talented. My favourites are As You Like It, A United Kingdom and Selma.
He is as talented as he is easy on the eyes (excuse me as I wipe the drool off my chin). Thank you for featuring this delectable man for MCM!
Super talented. Loved him in Selma. Super curious about Come Away—definitely sounds engaging. Also just to note that he and Jolie are about the same age.. they’re also both gorgeous people but being gorgeous hasn’t been enough to get actresses of the same age as their co-stars cast before (although admittedly that’s more of an issue outside married couple roles).
Come Away looks and sounds adorable.
Of the movies listed above, I’ve only seen “The Help,” and I had no recollection of Oyelowo in it. I fell in LOVE with him in the lovely film “The Queen of Katwe.” Also, he is sooooo funny and brilliant in “Gringo.” Neither of those films are costume dramas, but they are very good. Honestly, David Oleyowo is so good and good-looking that I’d be mesmerized by him wearing burlap sack. And then in his interviews he’s smarter, more charming, intelligent, handsome, etc. Sigh! I had no idea he was in so many costume dramas, now I have so many more to add to my list. And “Come Away” sounds like a brilliant premise! Can’t wait to see it.
Oh, wait, I saw “Lincoln” too, but have no recollection of Oyelowo. I was too busy marveling at Daniel Day-Lewis and drooling over Josesh Gordon-Levitt.