Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice. David Oyelowo More Quotes by David Oyelowo More Quotes From David Oyelowo Whether we like to admit it or not, as artists, we do project our own worldview on to what we do. David Oyelowo worldview projects artist I do think opportunity breeds bravery. It's such a competitive profession, no one owes you anything, talent in itself is not enough. I went to drama school with so many great actors who are not doing it anymore and it's circumstantial. David Oyelowo opportunity drama school That's what's so satisfying about acting. You can come as prepared as you like, but there's no accounting for what's going to come at you from the other actor. That's part of the joy and the play of it. If you don't have that it's a different kind of performance. David Oyelowo acting play joy There's a nimble quality to the way a television actor can work. When that muscle gets strong it's a very valuable thing. David Oyelowo quality actors strong I turned down a lot of easier opportunities in order to go for the things that I really and ultimately wanted to do. And what's really nice is that it's starting to work. I've been an actor for coming up on 14 years now and the level of activity that's taking place now is a culmination of a slow cooker approach to as opposed to a microwave. David Oyelowo nice opportunity order We can't afford to deny our past in a bid to be empowered. But what we can do is contextualize the past. David Oyelowo empowered deny past I'm one of those actors who says, "Point me toward the work that matters to me and I don't care where you're putting it. Television show. Movie. Projected on the back of someone's garage." If that's where the work is that's exciting to me and moving, I want to be there. David Oyelowo actors television moving When I am playing a role far away from me with an accent that is not mine I always employ a dialect coach. I am almost always playing someone that has an accent that is not mine. David Oyelowo dialect-coach playing-someone roles I certainly don't feel there's a distinction to be made between a television and a film actor. I think there's a distinction between great actors and not so great actors. But I really think if you watch a person working in television give a wonderful performance, that person is f - ing great, because there is no time. David Oyelowo giving watches thinking I think what a lot of people don't realize is how much being the leader of this movement weighed upon him. After all, he [Dr. Martin Luter King] was only 39 years-old when he was assassinated, and only 36 during the Selma campaign. He always seemed older than he actually was, and I believe part of that had to do with just how much life he had to live in order to lead this movement. David Oyelowo kings believe thinking When you reflect upon the significance of Dr. King to this nation, it's criminal that he hasn't had a feature film that was centered around him until now. That, in and of itself, was emotional. But when you're doing scenes on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, with people still living in Selma and now in their 60s and 70s who had actually marched, who were there that original Bloody Sunday, that's humbling... that's deeply moving. You're no longer acting at that stage, you're just reacting, because it takes the filmmaking process to another dimension. David Oyelowo sunday kings moving I have been in films before where people have been in a rush to label them as a Black film or even as a history lesson. These are ways to make the film feel niche and not for everyone. David Oyelowo labels black people You're always looking for roles and other creatives who are going to be challenging to you, because you're always a better actor after the experience. David Oyelowo roles actors challenges One of the occupational hazards of being an actor, the reason why so many actors are insecure, is that the only way we know we're good is when other people tell us. David Oyelowo hazards insecure people I know for a fact the reason I'm an actor is because one, two, maybe three people when I was younger saw something that I did, in youth theater or some small play somewhere, and said, "You're good." David Oyelowo play two people Considering how pervasive interracial marriage is, certainly in American society, it is rare we get to see it depicted on film. David Oyelowo interracial-marriage considering film There are many, many communities, many ethnic minorities, many civilizations that have been brutalised by others and you have to move on. You cannot perpetually stay in that place of blame, otherwise it's just a downward spiral. David Oyelowo community civilization moving Getting to do what I think was my fifth BBC drama with Nikki Amuka-Bird - we've done 'Shoot The Messenger,' 'Five Days,' 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency,' 'Born Equal' and now 'Small Island' - was another highlight for me. And filming in Jamaica was great, too. David Oyelowo islands drama thinking I consider myself a human being, a Christian, a father, a husband, so many things, before being a black person. David Oyelowo husband christian father Dr. Martin Luther King was never a man to say 'I've got this' as the leader of the movement. He wasn't always sure that his decisions were correct, because he knew every decision he made was putting lives at risk, including his and his family's lives. David Oyelowo decision kings men
