Oyelowo said he is drawn to inspirational historical films partially because of his Christian faith and his desire to play leaders who "exhibit characteristics that I already aspire to." He calls Christ "the rock on which I build my life."
"I pray about what I should and shouldn't do [in movies], and of course who you are dictates what you are drawn to, and so I am sure that the roles I play, the films I do, are a reflection of what I believe," he said. "They would have to be. There is no doubt that there is a correlation between my faith as a person and the roles I play."
A father of four children, Oyelowo spoke recently with CP about A United Kingdom, his movie career, and his faith. Following is a transcript, edited for clarity:
image: http://d.christianpost.com/full/104550/295-437/a-united-kingdom.jpg
image: http://d.christianpost.com/full/104550/295-437/a-united-kingdom.jpg
CP: This is a story that is going to be new to a lot of Americans. Is this a well-known story among British people?
David Oyelowo: No, it is not. It is not even a well-known story among people from Batswana. And I think the reason for that is that it's a moment in history when Great Britain was not behaving in the most honorable fashion, so it's a piece of history that has been a bit sidelined.
And the thing that really struck me when someone handed me the book several years ago is that as a proud person of African descent I did not know this story, but also I so recognized this man, Seretse Khama. My father is a prince himself and is someone who is very connected to his community and has a huge capacity for love.
I was born in the U.K. but lived in Nigeria for several years. There were so many things about Seretse Kama I identified with and I feel are recognizable, but I feel are almost never seen in a film around an African character of his nature. So that was another motivating factor for me.
CP: This is another historical drama for you. Why do you keep landing in these true-to-life inspiring roles?
Oyelowo: I'm not on a quest to be in inspiring films or to be inspiring in an overt way. I'm drawn to these films partly because they bring to a context as to what it is to be a black person.
I find that a lot of films have characters that are stereotypical in relation to the black experience. These are the kinds of characters that we don't get to see as much — a civil rights activist [Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma] who is an inspirational and true leader, an ordinary man [Robert Katende in Queen of Katwe] who sees talent within this young 10-year-old girl in a slum in Uganda and helps her become a chess champion, an African prince [Seretse Khama] who will put everything on the line for love, and yet he loves his country. These are the kind of characters and the kind of roles I personally don't see every day, and that's partly why I'm drawn to them.
CP: Has playing these roles changed your view of the world or life in general?
Oyelowo: It's inspired me to be my better self. I think partly why I gravitate toward them is because these characters exhibit characteristics that I already aspire to.
But you can't step into Dr. King's shoes and not come away feeling the need to be more socially active, more socially invested in your community.
I definitely hug my wife a bit tighter having done A United Kingdom, because I also am married to a white lady. And I'm just so grateful that we did not have to go through what Seretse and Ruth did.
CP: You grew up Baptist and consider faith an important part of your life. Could you tell us a little bit more about your faith background and how that has guided your life?
Oyelowo: I was raised Baptist but at the age of 16 I realized I was basically piggybacking on my parents' faith — it wasn't yet real for me. So at that stage I reached out to God and said if you don't turn out for me personally within three months, I'm out. And He did. And that was the point at which I became a born-again Christian and have been ever since. That's the rock on which I build my life.
Jesus Christ is the rock on which I build my life and has been my guiding light through everything — my marriage, my career, how we parent our children, and certainly the choices I make in everything I do are guided by the moral compass that my faith gives me.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/david-oyelowo-a-united-kingdom-christ-is-the-rock-on-which-i-build-my-life-interview-175618/#mfzsmm1maviBxzTm.99
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/david-oyelowo-a-united-kingdom-christ-is-the-rock-on-which-i-build-my-life-interview-175618/#AzB6iRJh5mjXBIWa.99
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