David Oyelowo

British actor

Person · Open Library

Born: 1976-04-01
Works: 4

Top works

A united kingdom
A united kingdom
Henry VI
"Henry VI" (Actors on Shakespeare)

via Open Library + Wikidata

Film & TV

Acting · Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK

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…

Known for

Newborn — Chris Newborn2026
Clarissa — Peter2026
National Theatre Live: Coriolanus — Coriolanus2025
Government Cheese — Hampton Chambers2025
The American Revolution — Olaudah Equiano / Sam (voice)2025
The After — Dayo2024
Becoming King — Self

Article

David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo (/oʊˈjɛloʊwoʊ/ oh-yeh-LOH-woh; Yoruba pronunciation; born 1 April 1976) is a Nigerian-British actor, director, and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award. In 2016, he was appointed 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 film Selma (2014) and Peter Snowden in the HBO film Nightingale (2014), both of 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).