David Oyelowo: ‘Like a lot of immigrants, my dad was all about work, work, work’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I haven’t played anyone whose state of being has entered my cells in quite the same way as this,” says Oyelowo, sending a ripple through his body in a bid to rid himself of it. Coriolanus trailer “What I’ve found with women – which is a bit of a generalisation, but it is specific to my experience – is that they gravitate towards the emotional topography of a story and a character way quicker than men in film do,” says Oyelowo, who has worked with several female directors over his career – including Turner, on current project Coriolanus. “I have selfishly been a huge beneficiary of that, as I’m afforded more emotionally layered performances as a result of the women I’ve worked with.” Oyelowo became an American citizen around the time of Selma. “God gave me every one of my children’s names,” says Oyelowo.