The
“A United Kingdom” Interview
with
Kam Williams
Oyez!
Oyez! Oyelowo!
David
Oyelowo is a multiple Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor and
producer who has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most
sought-after talents.
Later
this year he’ll be seen in the third film in the Cloverfield horror
franchise, and as the lead in the as-yet untitled Nash Edgerton film,
co-starring Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton, Thandie Newton and Amanda
Seyfried.
David
gained international acclaim in 2014 starring as Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. in Ava DuVernay’s Selma. For his performance, Oyelowo
earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best
Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
Most
recently, he starred opposite Lupita Nyong’o in Mira Nair’s Queen
of Katwe, earning a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding
Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.
And his additional film credits include Interstellar, A Most Violent
Year, Captive, The Butler, Lincoln, Middle of Nowhere, Jack Reacher,
The Paperboy, Red Tails, The Help and The Last King of Scotland.
.
On
the small screen, David starred in the HBO film, Nightingale, earning
a Golden Globe nomination for Best
Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made
for Television. He
has collaborated with HBO on several other occasions, including a
starring role in Kenneth Branagh’s 2006 production of “As You
Like It,” in which he played ‘Orlando’ opposite Bryce Dallas
Howard; and as the lead in the mini-series, “Five Days,” for
which he won a Satellite Award for Best
Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television.
In
2008, he starred in the critically-acclaimed adaptation of the
Alexander McCall Smith novel, “The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency,”
which was directed by the late Anthony Minghella. He appeared in
ABC-TV’s 2008 Golden Globe-nominated production of “A Raisin in
the Sun,” too, alongside Sanaa Lathan, Sean Combs and
Phylicia Rashad.
A
classically-trained actor, David recently appeared opposite Daniel
Craig as the title character in the New York Theatre Workshop
Off-Broadway production of Othello.
He got his start on stage
in 1999 with The Royal Shakespeare Company. He garnered national
recognition for his performance as King Henry VI in the RSC's 2001
production, when he was cast as the first black actor to play an
English king in a major production of Shakespeare. The performance
won David the 2001 Ian Charleson Award, which is presented in
recognition of the best classical stage performances in Britain by
actors under the age of 30.
Here, he talks about his
latest outing opposite Rosamund Pike as an African king who falls for
a British commoner in A United Kingdom.
Kam
Williams: Hi
David, thanks for another interview. I really enjoyed the film.
David
Oyelowo:
Thanks.
KW:
What interested you in A United Kingdom?
DO:
The
fact that it was a story I felt I should know, but I didn't know. And
as I dug deeper, I appreciated the enduring love that Seretse and
Ruth had for each other was a wonderful story.
KW:
After I
watched the film, I went home and looked up their story as well as
the history of Botswana, since I'd known nothing about either.
DO:
One of
the amazing things about this experience for me has been the Google
trail. There's so much to learn about them and African history.
KW:
I
appreciate Amma Asante making a movie like this because when I grew
up, the only movies about Africa I saw were Tarzan movies. So, I grew
up rooting for Tarzan and thinking all Africans were cannibals. It
reminds me of how a Native American friend says he grew up
identifying with the cowboys and hating Indians because of how he'd
been brainwashed by Westerns.
DO:
That
underscores the significance of someone like Amma getting a story
like this made.
KW:
Editor/Legist
Patricia Turnier asks: Did you speak to Ruth and Seretse descendants
in preparation for the role??
DO:
Yes,
and we even shot on location in Botswana.
KW:
Patricia
observes that, unlike many other actors, you have managed to avoid
being typecast. She asks: what is your secret?
DO:
Becoming
typecast is something that can happen very easily, if you are not
paying attention. Look, the fact of the matter is that Seretse and
Dr. Martin Luther King [in Selma] makes it twice in a row now that
I've played historical, political figures. I've got to be mindful of
that going forward, despite how much i admire both of these men.
You've got change it up to have a long career. so, I won't be playing
that sort of role in the near future.
KW:
Since
she's French-Canadian, she's also wondering whether the movie will be
translated into other languages and if it will be showcased at Cannes
DO:
It
won't be showcased at Cannes, because it's already been released.
But, yes, it will be distributed internationally, in Canada, France,
Botswana, Italy, Germany and many other countries.
KW:
How was
it working opposite Rosamund Pike? How do you explain the great
chemistry the two of you generated on screen?
DO:
I had
been working on the film for a long time, and it was important to
find an actress who shared my passion for the project. When I sent
Rosamund pictures of Seretse and Ruth, she had such an emotional and
visceral reaction to them, it really gave me a lot of confidence that
we would be bringing everything we could to the work. And I think
that passion for the project led to the chemistry you see onscreen.
KW:
This
year, the Academy nominated seven actors of color for Oscars after
not nominating any the previous two years. But that must be little
consolation to you, since your terrific performance in Selma as Dr.
King was snubbed.
DO:
Well,
thank you, but films are for life. Even with what happened with
Selma, everywhere I go, people have seen that film. And at the end of
the day, that's why you do it. with the passage of time, no one
really remembers who was nominated or who won, it's the film that has
to stand on its own two legs. i'm very proud to say that I feel we
achieved that with Selma.
KW:
The Viola Davis question: What’s the biggest difference between who
you are at home as opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
DO:
[LOL] Well, I'm a lot sillier at home. I have four kids and a
very rowdy house.
KW:
What is your favorite dish to cook for the kids?
DO:
Being
of Nigerian descent, I like to make fried plantains. It was a staple
of mine growing up, and it's a big favorite in our house.
KW:
Larry
Greenberg asks: Do you have a favorite movie monster?
DO:
[Laughs again] A favorite movie monster? Gosh... I have to say I was
very intoxicated by King Kong growing up. I had one of those rubber
King Kong dolls with stretchy arms, and I would play with it for
hours.
KW:
Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: With so many classic films being redone,
is there a remake you'd like to star in?
DO:
I
always think it's a bad idea remaking classics. I'm of the mind that
it's best to leave them alone unless you have a very, very fresh
point-of-view which is almost never the case.
KW:
The
Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you at this point in your career?
I see you have an untitled project with Nash Edgerton coming up.
DO:
Yeah,
that's an action-comedy, which is a very different speed for me. I
really loved doing that film. Speaking of avoiding being typecast, I
really want to try my hand at some different genres. Action is
something I love to watch, and I've had fun whenever it's come my
way. Rasamund and I met doing an action-thriller [Jack Reacher]. I
really enjoyed that experience, and would love to do something like
that again. Comedy is something else I enjoy watching, and would love
to do. So, the idea is to just keep mixing it up.
KW:
You
also have God Particle coming up with Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Chris
O'Dowd. What's that about?
DO:
It's a
sci-fi that J.J. Abrams is producing and a wonderful, young director
named Julius Onah is directing. As i'm sure you know, because it's a
J.J. Abrams project, if I reveal any more, I'll be shot in the
kneecaps. [Chuckles]
KW:
Super 8
is my favorite J.J. Abrams movie. Have you seen it?
DO:
Yes,
he's a very special filmmaker. And we've really pushed the envelope
with God Particle which is coming out in October.
KW:
What's
the craziest thing you've ever done with your kids?
DO:
Taking
them skiing. They thought they'd mastered it before they really had,
so they started doing all these crazy jumps and things. They were
incredibly good at it, and everything turned out fine, but it got a
little hairy there for a second.
KW:
When do
you feel the most content?
DO:
When
I'm at home with my wife and kids, slumped on the couch, watching a
movie or laughing together.
KW:
Let's
say you’re throwing your dream dinner party—who’s invited?
DO:
I'd love to have Sidney Poitier, Daniel Day Lewis, Denzel Washington
and Sean Penn over.
KW:
The Anthony Anderson question: If you could have a superpower, which
one would you choose?
DO:
I would
probably choose time-traveling, so I could go back and change some of
the fashion choices I've made.
KW:
Attorney
Bernadette Beekman asks: If you could go back in time, what advice
would you give your 13 year-old self?
DO:
When I
was younger I couldn't wait to be older. I would say, "Slow
down!"
KW:
Bernadette
also asks: What is your favorite charity?
DO:
The
GEANCO Foundation which provides scholarships for Nigerian girls who
have been victims of Boko Haram.
KW:
The
Tavis Smiley question: How do you want to be remembered?
DO:
As
someone who helped people.
KW:
Finally,
Samuel L. Jackson asks: What’s in your wallet?
DO:
[LOL]
Less money than people think.
KW:
Thanks
again for the time, David, and best of luck with A United Kingdom.
DO:
Thank
you very much, Kam.
To
see a trailer for A United Kingdom, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX5vI4osR50
