We sat down with Oyelowo ahead of his films opening.
Their union caused an international scandal that involved Botswana, Great Britain, and South Africa.)
The minute I knew the story, I thought how did I not know it before.
Credit: Stanislav Honzik
Its such a big story.
Its a love story.
It spans continents and its big in scope.
No one was interested in a black African protagonist.
He either saves them or makes it palatable.
The industry is just so riddled with fear.
So what made the difference?Selmachanged everything.
I guess people saw that I could do that which they werent sure I could do.
And I had seen onSelma(with director DuVernay) that who gets to tell the story matters.
Ava changed the script of Selma and changed what that film would have been.
I had a front row seat to Avas perspective onSelmaand I just thought, I need more of this.
I have to cultivate this.
Im a better actor for being under this gaze.
Its a genuine opportunity for promotion.
Are you going to get to do aCaptain Fantastic?
Are you going to get to doLa La Land?
Are you going to get to doFantastic Beasts?
And its not about let me try and be a movie star.
Its just if Im not part of the solution, Im part of the problem.
How do you think this philosophy is impacting your career?Im enriched by the experience.
I loveQueen of Katwe.
I just wanted to be a better father.
It made me want to go to Uganda.
And who gets to tell the story is very important to me.
