David Oyelowo Net Worth

David Oyelowo's Quotes

• It's fascinating to work with a company of actors of such different ages, experience and talents. I'm one of a generation brought up on television whose acting is more naturalistic, whereas with some of the older generation it's more heightened. But I think there's room for both styles.
• I think it's vital to have something outside your acting to keep you rooted in the real world, and help you fill the vacuum. If you have nothing else, it can be unhealthy. For me, being a Christian has been invaluable: it simply means acting isn't the centre of my life.
• [defending Benedict Cumberbatch after he caused outrage for using the term "colored actors" instead of "actors of color"] When you look at what he was actually saying, it's clear that he's a huge supporter of black performers. To attack him for a term, as opposed to what he was actually saying, I think is very disingenuous and is indicative of the age we live in where people are looking for soundbites as opposed to substance.

Interesting Facts about David Oyelowo

1. David made history when he became the first black actor to portray an English monarch for the Royal Shakespeare Company when he played the title role in a production of "Henry VI Parts I, II and III" (2000).
2. His performance in the title role of the RSC's production of "Henry VI Parts I, II and III" earned him the Ian Charleson Award for outstanding performance by a young actor in a classical theatre role (2001).
3. Attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), his course being paid for by the director Nicholas Hytner.
4. Attended City and Islington College in London, England.
5. Has two roles in common with Jeffrey Wright: (1) Wright played Martin Luther King in Boycott (2001) while Oyelowo played him in Selma (2014) - in both productions, Carmen Ejogo played King's wife Coretta Scott King and (2) Oyelowo played Muddy Waters in Who Do You Love (2008) while Wright played him in Cadillac Records (2008).
6. He was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, to Nigerian parents, of the Yoruba tribe. While a guest on "Fresh Air", David told interviewer Terry Gross that his father was a member of a royal family in Nigeria, and his last name literally means "a king deserves respect". But he also joked, "Now, don't get me wrong. You know, royal families are a dime a dozen in Nigeria. It's more like being the king of Sherman Oaks, really. But you know it's - but still, it carries some weight.".
7. As of 2015, has appeared in three films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Help (2011), Lincoln (2012) and Selma (2014).
8. He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama. He is an actor in London, England.
9. Has appeared with Gugu Mbatha-Raw in three films: The Cloverfield Paradox (2018), A Wrinkle in Time (2018) and Come Away (2020).
10. Both David and Jessica Oyelowo became naturalized US citizens on July 20, 2016.
11. His surname is pronounced phonetically "oh-yell-oh-oh", that means "title has respect".
12. Former member of the National Youth Theatre.
13. Friends with Oprah Winfrey.
14. Currently resides in Los Angeles, California.