Cast & creator
David Oyelowo
Best known for Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo (/oʊˈjɛloʊwoʊ/ oh-YEL-oh-woh; Yoruba pronunciation; born 1 April 1976) is a British actor, director and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award, two NAACP Image Awards, and nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award. In 2016, he was appointed as an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama. Oyelowo rose to prominence for portraying Martin Luther King Jr. in the biographical drama Selma (2014) and Peter Snowden in the HBO film Nightingale (2014), which garnered him critical acclaim. He also achieved praise for his roles as Louis Gaines in The Butler (2013), Seretse Khama in A United Kingdom (2016) and Robert Katende in Queen of Katwe (2016). He has also played supporting roles in the films Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), The Help (2011), Lincoln (2012), Red Tails (2012), and Jack Reacher (2012). On television, Oyelowo has played MI5 officer Danny Hunter in the British drama series Spooks (2002–2004) and Javert in the BBC miniseries Les Misérables (2018). He also provided the voice for Agent Alexsandr Kallus in the Lucasfilm Animation series Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018) and Holston Becker in the Apple+ drama series Silo. He stars in and co-produces the 2023 Paramount+ western series Lawmen: Bass Reeves. Description above from the Wikipedia article David Oyelowo, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Also known as: David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo
90
film credits
52
television credits
115
1953–2026 · acting roles
6.0
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (142)
Showing 142 of 142 credits
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
2014
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Conan
Self
2010
Silo
Sheriff Holston Becker
2023
The View
Self
1997
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self
2022
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988
The Good Wife
Judge Edward Weldon
2009
Sherri
Self - Guest
2022
The One Show
Self
2006
The Tamron Hall Show
Self - Guest
2019
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter
1956
Interstellar
School Principal
2014
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014
After Midnight
Self
2024
Spooks
Danny Hunter
2002
Star Wars Rebels
Agent Kallus (voice)
2014
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2015
Off Camera with Sam Jones
Self
2014
The Oscars
Self
1953
The Lion Guard
Scar
2016
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Steven Jacobs
2011
The Help
Preacher Green
2011
Jack Reacher
Det. Emerson
2012
The Arsenio Hall Show
Self
2013
Glenn Martin, DDS
2009
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Bass Reeves
2023Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Executive Producer
2023
As Time Goes By
Patrick
1992
Government Cheese
Hampton Chambers
2025Government Cheese
Executive Producer
2025
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
Prince Humperdinck
2020
Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2023
Les Misérables
Javert
2018Les Misérables
Executive Producer
2018
A Wrinkle in Time
The It (voice)
2018
Treasure Island
Long John Silver
2026
See How They Run
Mervyn Cocker-Norris
2022
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale
Self - Special Guest
2018
The American Revolution
Olaudah Equiano / Sam (voice)
2025
Chaos Walking
Aaron
2021
The Midnight Sky
Adewole
2020
A Most Violent Year
D.A. Lawrence
2014
Five Days
Matt Wellings
2007
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Nigel Basil-Jones
2021
The Book of Clarence
John the Baptist
2024
Lincoln
Corporal Ira Clark
2012
Queen of Katwe
Robert Katende
2016
The Cloverfield Paradox
Kiel
2018
Role Play
Dave
2023
The Frame
Steven Jacobs
2013
The Last King of Scotland
Dr. Thomas Junju
2006
The Butler
Louis Gaines
2013
Derailed
Patrol Officer
2005
Come Away
Jack Littleton
2020Come Away
Producer
2020
A Sound of Thunder
Marcus Payne
2005
The Girl Before
Edward Monkford
2021
The Paperboy
Yardley Acheman
2012
Small Island
Gilbert
2009
Maisie Raine
Sonny McDonald
1998
The Passion
Joseph of Arimathea
2008
Don't Let Go
Detective Jack Radcliff
2019Don't Let Go
Executive Producer
2019Don't Let Go
Producer
2019
Mayo
Eddie Barton, 'Sexy' M.P.
2006
Gringo
Harold Soyinka
2018
Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us'
Self
2018
Newborn
Chris Newborn
2026Newborn
Producer
2026
Red Tails
Joe 'Lightning' Little
2012
Selma
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2014
A United Kingdom
Seretse Khama
2016A United Kingdom
Producer
2016
The Water Man
Amos Boone
2020The Water Man
Producer
2020The Water Man
Director
2020
The Best Man
Graham
2005
Nina
Clifton Henderson
2016
As You Like It
Orlando De Boys
2006
Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
Agent Kallus (voice)
2014
Clarissa
Peter
2026
13th
Thanks
2016
Captive
Brian Nichols
2015Captive
Producer
2015
Night of the Kings
Executive Producer
2021
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
Agent Kallus (voice)
2015
The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar
Scar (voice)
2017
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
The Tiger (voice)
2022
Blood And Oil
Keme Tobodo
2010
9 Kisses
Customer
2014
Family Feud
2148 Descendant
2018
August 28: A Day in the Life of a People
2017
96 Minutes
Duane
2011American Blend
Mercury
2006
A Raisin in the Sun
Joseph Asagai
2008
The After
Dayo
2024The After
Producer
2024The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Mikael Blomkvist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Executive Producer
Middle of Nowhere
Brian
2012
Five Nights in Maine
Sherwin
2016Five Nights in Maine
Producer
2016
Sweet Nothing in My Ear
Leonard Grisham
2008
Earth's Great Rivers
Self - Narrator (voice)
2019
Earth's Great Rivers II
Self - Narrator (voice)
2022Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Affair
Reverend Elijah Grant
Born Equal
Yemi
2006
Jack Reacher: When the Man Comes Around
Self
2013
Becoming King
Self
2024Becoming King
Producer
2024
Big Guy
Director
2009Big Guy
Producer
2009
Big Cats, Small World
Narrator (voice)
2024
Nightingale
Peter Snowden
2014Nightingale
Executive Producer
2014
Rage
Homer
2009
Who Do You Love
Muddy Waters
2008
Tomorrow La Scala!
Charlie
2002
Shoot the Messenger
Joseph Pascale
2006Othello
Othello
Othello
Director
Othello
Producer
National Theatre Live: Coriolanus
Coriolanus
2025The Return of the Rocketeer
The Rocketeer
Complicit
Edward Ekubo
2013Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun
Producer
Dog Eat Dog
CJ
2001
Brave Girl Rising
Narrator
2019
Default
Atlas
2014
Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire
Narrator
2022
Rahab
Cen
2012
The Bastard King
The Bastard King
2022
American Solitaire
Executive Producer
2025
5150
Executive Producer
2021
Ferguson Rises
Producer
2021Heist of Benin
Heist of Benin
Producer