I think it’s only fitting that David Oyelowo get the coveted MOC Monday spot, since he did such a fantastic job as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma. If you haven’t seen that film, then I suggest you rectify that and go see it pronto.
To quote what I said about his performance in my review:
Oyelowo truly does delve deep into Martin Luther King the Man and not the legend. We see that he has flaws, too, including the not-often-mentioned dalliances with other women and his own doubts about himself, his leadership, and the mission at hand. In one scene, when King is sitting on a porch in Selma, weary enough from his self-inflicted marital woes and feelings from guilt after yet another person died under his watch, you see his head hang down, giving a literal interpretation of the phrase, “Heavy is the head that wears the crown.”
Again, I don’t know what the Academy was thinking when they were awarding nominations, but Oyelowo’s leading actor nomination should have been an easy decision. In any case, we’ll see him again at Oscar time I’m sure, either for Queen of Katwe or Americanah, both co-starring Lupita Nyong’o.
What do you like about Oyelowo? Give your opinions in the comments section below!
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films.