Samuel Okoruwa
David Oyelowo is a Nigerian in the diaspora who is doing exceptionally well and making the country proud. He has made a name for himself and is known around the world due to his recognizable impact in the entertainment industry.
This sensational act first got major recognition when he starred in the movie Selma as Martin Luther King Jr. which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. You may also know him for his performances in movies like The Butler, Rise of The Planet of The Apes, Queen of Katwe, and Middle of Nowhere.
David Oyelowo has had an amazing career in Hollywood so far and things appear to be promising for him:
In case you are curious about the talented actor, here are some things to know about him
1. David Oyelowo was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, to a Yoruba father and a mother of Edo origin but spent some of his childhood in Nigeria before returning back to London.
2. He credits confidence as an actor to the years he spent in Nigeria. Speaking on this, he said: “My dad gets worried sometimes about how my name is pronounced and he would tell them that they have to call it like the town crier… Oye-Oye-Oyelowo. This is one of the moments I must tell you that I am a very proud Nigerian. We are storytellers by nature. We have been telling stories traditionally, comically and poetically.”
He continued,
Tonight, I would tell you the reason I have so much confidence in what is happening with Nollywood. The confidence I have as an actor came from my Nigerian heritage. I lived in Nigeria for seven-year from the age of six to 13. And something I learned there was how to walk into any situation as they came. We don’t know how to be shy. We don’t know how to walk into a room sideways. Working as an actor in the UK, we get so formal with the lines when we go for auditions. But in Naija, we say… ‘‘just give me the part now, let me play it.
3. David is of royal lineage, a discovery he made during his time spent in Nigeria.
4. He found love for acting after his teacher encouraged him to take it up while at college.
5. By 1999, he had started appearing in stage roles in Royal Shakespeare Company where he played several Shakespearean characters. Later on, in 2000, he made history by becoming the first black to act as ‘The King’ in a Royal Shakespeare Company production.
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6. He had his big break in 2002 when he played the role of an M15 officer in the British television drama series Spooks.
7. David is married with four kids, although many may not know this because he endeavours to keep his personal life private.
8. He is also very fond of his Nigerian dad. Here is a video of him speaking heartily about him
9. He was one of the co-writers of the BBC movie Graham and Alice (2006).
10. David has an estimated net worth of $6 million.
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