"A United Kingdom" star David Oyelowo is known for being very selective on the roles he chooses to portray, often letting his faith guide him in picking the right movie projects.
"I pray about anything I'm contemplating, and the moral compass my faith gives me tells me what to entertain and what not to entertain," he told the Gospel Herald. "I don't shy away from darkness in my films, because for me, light shines brightest in darkness. But, I won't promote or glamorise darkness in the films I do."
This discernment is shaped by his love for God and fatherhood. Oyelowo said it's important for him to practice what he preaches — both as a Christian and as a father.
After taking all these things into account, Oyelowo then lets his artistic side have a voice on the matter. He wants roles that push his boundaries as an actor, and he wants to star in films that would make him proud.
"I'm also always looking for things that challenge me. When I happen upon a character, I don't immediately know how I will play them. To be scared can bring out the best in me. I do try to do films that both entertain and are meaningful, but also films that I would want to see," he said.
In "A United Kingdom," Oyelowo plays a law student named Seretse Khama, who falls in love with a white woman named Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike) at a church dance. Despite their love for each other, they would face a lot of challenges in their relationship. Their friends and family don't support their union, and even the British and South African governments have vowed to do everything to tear them apart.
Oyelowo is also known for his roles in "Selma" and "Captive." In "Captive," he played escaped murderer Brian Nichols who helds a woman captive in her own home.
Speaking to Charisma News about his role as Nichols, Oyelowo said he was very careful in the portrayal so as not to make him look "cool." Even though Nichols committed a lot of crimes, there's a huge risk that a gun-toting and troubled criminal might come off as the film's hero.
"We had to work very hard to make sure that Brian Nichols didn't come off as a cool kind of James Bond-like character, because you have all the cinematic touchpoints... that we actually associate with heroes," Oyelowo said. "I'm running around in a suit. I've got two guns. I'm killing people. I had to work very hard to make sure it didn't feel glamorous, make sure it felt cold-hearted."
