David Oyelowo
Born: 1st
April 1976; Oxford, UK
Nationality: British Height: 5ft 8in (1.78m) Spouse: Jessica Watson Children: 4 Character in Spooks: Danny Hunter David was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, to Nigerian parents. He first attended a youth theatre after being invited by a girl to whom he was attracted. He then studied theatre studies for A level at City and Islington College and his teacher suggested he should become an actor. After A levels Oyelowo enrolled for a year on an art foundation course, before winning a place and scholarship at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), finishing his three-year training in 1998. He began his stage career in 1999 when he was offered a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company playing roles in Ben Jonson's Volpone, as the title character in Oroonoko (which he also performed in the BBC radio adaptation) and Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra (1999) alongside Guy Henry, Frances de la Tour and Alan Bates. |
His next theatrical role is his best known one – his performance as King Henry VI in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2001 productions of Shakespeare's trilogy of plays about the king as a part of its season This England: The Histories. In a major landmark for colour-blind casting, Oyelowo was the first black actor to play an English king in a major production of Shakespeare, and although this casting choice was initially criticised by some in the media, Oyelowo's performance was critically acclaimed and later won the 2001 Ian Charleson Award for best performance by an actor under 30 in a classical play. (A few years later, in comparison, Adrian Lester's casting as Henry V drew little comment.) Oyelowo said of this experience:
"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."
In 2005, he appeared in a production of Prometheus Bound, which was revived in New York in 2007. In 2006, he made his directorial debut on a production of The White Devil, produced by his own theatre company in Brighton, Inservice, co-run with fellow Brighton- based actors Priyanga Burford, Israel Aduramo, Penelope Cobbuld, and his wife, Jessica.
David is best known for playing MI5 officer Danny Hunter in Spooks from 2002 to 2004. He had before that appeared in Tomorrow La Scala (2002), Maisie Raine (1998) and Brothers and Sisters (1998). Soon after the end of his time on Spooks Oyelowo made a cameo appearance in the 2005 Christmas special of As Time Goes By.
David also starred in the BBC1 original television movie Born Equal opposite Colin Firth. As well as ABC's 2008 production of A Raisin in the Sun alongside Sanaa Lathan, Audra MacDonald and Phylicia Rashad.
David made his US debut in two HBO productions. First starring in the Kenneth Branagh directed As You Like It, in which he played Orlando opposite Bryce Dallas Howard, which aired in August 2006. In October of the same year he was again seen on HBO as the lead in the mini-series Five Days, for which he won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for his performance.
In 2008, David guest starred in an episode of the acclaimed adaptation of the Alexander McCall Smith novel The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency directed by the late Anthony Minghella.
He was seen recently in Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed drama Lincoln, with Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones. David received numerous accolades for the recent independent film, Middle of Nowhere. The emotionally inspiring film portrays the universal dilemma of how a person maintains oneself as they commit to loving and supporting someone through hardship. David has received nominations for "Best Supporting Actor" for the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards and the 44th Annual NAACP Image Awards on behalf of his work in this film.
David resides in Los Angeles with his wife and their four children.
You can find a full filmography for David Oyelowo at IMDb.
David is best known for playing MI5 officer Danny Hunter in Spooks from 2002 to 2004. He had before that appeared in Tomorrow La Scala (2002), Maisie Raine (1998) and Brothers and Sisters (1998). Soon after the end of his time on Spooks Oyelowo made a cameo appearance in the 2005 Christmas special of As Time Goes By.
David also starred in the BBC1 original television movie Born Equal opposite Colin Firth. As well as ABC's 2008 production of A Raisin in the Sun alongside Sanaa Lathan, Audra MacDonald and Phylicia Rashad.
David made his US debut in two HBO productions. First starring in the Kenneth Branagh directed As You Like It, in which he played Orlando opposite Bryce Dallas Howard, which aired in August 2006. In October of the same year he was again seen on HBO as the lead in the mini-series Five Days, for which he won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for his performance.
In 2008, David guest starred in an episode of the acclaimed adaptation of the Alexander McCall Smith novel The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency directed by the late Anthony Minghella.
He was seen recently in Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed drama Lincoln, with Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones. David received numerous accolades for the recent independent film, Middle of Nowhere. The emotionally inspiring film portrays the universal dilemma of how a person maintains oneself as they commit to loving and supporting someone through hardship. David has received nominations for "Best Supporting Actor" for the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards and the 44th Annual NAACP Image Awards on behalf of his work in this film.
David resides in Los Angeles with his wife and their four children.
You can find a full filmography for David Oyelowo at IMDb.