David Oyelowo looks back on how 'Selma' shook up the Oscars

For the latest episode of Yahoo Entertainment's Game Changers, actor and director David Oyelowo looks back on his career, from his breakthrough as the first Black Henry VI at the Royal Shakespeare Company to his critically-acclaimed (but Oscar-snubbed) role as Martin Luther King, Jr.

Watch the full video above.

Video Transcript

DAVID OLELOWO: Having been given those opportunities, I better make good on continuing to build. I am literally, as we speak, standing on the shoulders of other people who had to fight a lot harder.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR: We will get what you were denied. We will vote.

[APPLAUSE]

We will put these men out of office. We will take their power. We will win what you will slaughtered for.

KEVIN POLOWY: What was the beginning of your journey like arriving in Hollywood and navigating a business, particularly as a Black British actor, that didn't have a great track record when it came to representation?

DAVID OLELOWO: You know, I notably played Henry VI at the Royal Shakespeare Company. I say notably because-- I didn't know this at the time, but-- I was the first Black person to play a King at the Royal Shakespeare Company in its history, and that sort of garnered a lot of attention and sort of shone a light on some of the representation issues here in the UK.

But then I also had done "The Last King of Scotland" with Forrest Whitaker directed by Kevin MacDonald. Obviously, Forrest won the Oscar for that. And then I did "Red Tails," I did "The Butler," I did "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." But the biggest moment, you know, was not actually playing Dr. King in "Selma." It was actually getting cast. Just the casting of me was just like, who is this guy who's going to be playing Dr. King? And that was a big boost in my career, and then, obviously, eventually, "Selma" happened and that was probably the biggest boost.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR: They will remember you saying wait, and I can't, unless you act, sir.

KEVIN POLOWY: How would you describe the effects of "Selma" and what that did for your career? It definitely felt like a watershed moment for you. How did it change your life and your career?

DAVID OLELOWO: I have to say, I had never envisaged myself, being of Nigerian descent, born in the UK, playing a character of that stature, of that nature, of that fame, was not something I anticipated. It was a seven year journey from when I first read the script to actually getting to do it. It was huge. And the film, you know, it's gained a lot of love and notoriety now.

But when it first came out, it started the "Oscars so White" movement, it was mired in controversy because we had campaigns against us to discredit the film because other films wanted to win Oscars and deny us Oscars, and, you know, it got very ugly there. I mean, you know, people enjoy watching the Oscars. They don't realize just how dirty some of what happens behind the scenes can be.

KEVIN POLOWY: How do you look back now at your indirect role in that cultural touch point and how it seems to have led to change?

DAVID OLELOWO: It was the fact that it wasn't just that one-- that first year of "Oscars so White." It's the fact that we had two years of "Oscars so White" back-to-back that really forced the change. So yes, you're right. You know, inadvertently, unwittingly, myself, Ava Duvernay, the film sort of were at the start of something that indisputably went on to bring about change.

Again, it was bloodily fought. The Academy did not want to-- oh, certain factions in the Academy did not want to yield to the notion of change. Thankfully, we had someone like Cheryl Boone Isaacs as the president at the time and that change did come about.

But I think it's also indicative of the fact that so much of the change happening in the world right now, you just have to attribute it to what the internet has done by way of disseminating information. And even the recent-- the recent conviction of Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd. That just simply doesn't happen if the public aren't as aware as they were because the footage was there, because social media is there, because the information is so readily available.

People now have the veil lifted as to why the world we live in is the way it is, and, you know, you can't hide anymore. And I think that's been hugely beneficial to equality, equity, representation, because, you know, like I say, this kind of behavior is tougher to hide.

KEVIN POLOWY: What made you want to direct? I mean, is part of it being your contribution to helping reshape Hollywood?

DAVID OLELOWO: You know, I don't believe in just hollow complaints. I have been given a platform. I have been given opportunities. I have been given a career. You know, being an actor is not purely about talent. It really is about having people like Oprah in your life who are going to advocate for you. It's about opportunities like "Selma" being given to you when it kind of didn't make sense.

So having been given those opportunities, I better make good on continuing to build. I am literally, as we speak, standing on the shoulders of other people who had to fight a lot harder to do what I am currently being afforded the ability to do.

KEVIN POLOWY: I feel like I can ask you this is someone whose last name is constantly butchered, but, I mean, especially starting off, like, how often and how badly did people mispronounce your name?

DAVID OLELOWO: Almost every single time. And you know what it is, as well? In interviews or when I'm doing TV appearances or at awards shows or whatever, you know, people are so conscientious and so desirous to get it right, they'll come up to me beforehand and say, how do you see your name? How do you say? Tell me again. Tell me again. I'll say, O on both sides of yellow. Oyelowo. And they go, Oyelowo, Oyelowo, Oyelowo, Oyelowo, Oyelowo. Got it. OK, everybody, I would just loves to welcome David Oyedobowo. And you could just feel the-- it's the panic. All those consonants don't belong next to those vowels in their head, and so they just-- there's this sort of car crash moment. So, it's not for a lack of trying, but it's getting better, I will say. It's the marker of how well my career is doing the more people who can say my name correctly.

[LAUGHS]

[MUSIC PLAYING]