David Oyelowo

David Oyelowo is a British-Nigerian actor, producer and director known for Shakespearean theatre, his portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and his acting and production work in film and television. He made his feature directorial debut with The Water Man.

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About David Oyelowo

Profile information current to 2026-08-19.

United Kingdom / Nigeria · Actor, Producer, Director · 2 affiliations

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Known for: Shakespearean theatre; Film acting; Television acting and production; Film direction and production
Country: United Kingdom / Nigeria

Actor
Producer
Director
Writer

At a glance

Oyelowo played King Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2001, becoming, according to the RSC, the first Black actor to play an English king in a major Shakespeare production.
His portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma brought him a 2015 Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a motion-picture drama.
For HBO's Nightingale, he received two 2015 Primetime Emmy nominations, recognizing both his lead performance and his work as an executive producer.
He made his feature directorial debut with The Water Man and later starred in and executive-produced Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Oyelowo was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 New Year Honours.

Background and training

Oyelowo was born on April 1, 1976, in Oxford, England, and is described by the Golden Globes as a British-Nigerian theatre actor. He graduated from LAMDA's BA (Hons) Professional Acting programme in 1998.

Shakespearean career

Oyelowo joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1999. In 2001, he played King Henry VI, a performance for which he won the Ian Charleson Award for the best performance by an actor under 30 in a classical play. The RSC describes the casting as the first time a Black actor played an English king in a major Shakespeare production, and its associate-artists listing included Oyelowo as of August 2026.

Screen work and recognition

Oyelowo portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in Ava DuVernay's 2014 film Selma and received a Golden Globe nomination for the performance. His work on HBO's Nightingale brought two Primetime Emmy nominations in 2015: one for lead actor and another, as an executive producer, for outstanding television movie. He later played the title role and served as an executive producer on Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

Production and direction

Oyelowo expanded his screen work into feature direction with The Water Man in 2020, for which the Toronto International Film Festival also credited him as a producer and principal cast member. The website of Yoruba Saxon identifies David and Jessica Oyelowo as heading the production company, a self-description current when reviewed in August 2026.

Affiliations

Yoruba Saxon Company leadership present
Royal Shakespeare Company Associate artist present

Timeline

1976-04-01 Born in Oxford, England.
1998 Graduated from LAMDA's BA (Hons) Professional Acting programme.
1999 Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.
2001 Played King Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company and won the Ian Charleson Award.
2014 Portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma.
2015 Received two Primetime Emmy nominations for his acting and executive-production work on Nightingale.
2016 Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours.
2020 Made his feature directorial debut with The Water Man.
2023 Starred in and executive-produced Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

Additional verified details

Current context

Yoruba Saxon's website identifies David and Jessica Oyelowo as heading the production company. This is the company's self-description and should be rechecked if its leadership is material to publication.
The Royal Shakespeare Company's associate-artists page includes David Oyelowo OBE. Institutional listings may change and should be rechecked close to publication.

Biographical facts

David Oyelowo was born on April 1, 1976, in Oxford, England, and is described by the Golden Globes as British-Nigerian.
He graduated from LAMDA's BA (Hons) Professional Acting programme in 1998.
He won the 2001 Ian Charleson Award for his performance as King Henry VI with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He received a 2015 Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for Selma.
For Nightingale, he received 2015 Primetime Emmy nominations for lead actor in a limited series or movie and, as an executive producer, for outstanding television movie.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 New Year Honours.
The Golden Globes lists three nominations for Oyelowo, connected to Selma, Nightingale and Lawmen: Bass Reeves.