Quote

Because I was aspirational, I did my work, I was respectful to my teachers, I experienced a lot of bullying from the black kids. My friends were largely white or Asian.

David Oyelowo

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

David Oyelowo
Age: 48
Born: 1976
Born: April 1
Actor
Film Actor
Film Director
Film Producer
Stage Actor
Television Actor
David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo
White
Respectful
Black
Bullying
Kids
Asian
Work
Largely
Experienced
Teachers
Teacher
Friends
Aspirational

More quotes by David Oyelowo

Image
At the end of the day, everyone knows what it is to be loved and to aspire to love someone, to want to be loved, the loss of love, or having their love be opposed, whether it is family, friends or politically.
David Oyelowo
Image
The perception of Africa, whether in the U.S. or in Europe, is of a continent that needs help, and cannot pull itself up. That is just not true.
David Oyelowo
Image
Female directors, directors of color are a big thing for me, which are both important voices and potent voices that need to be heard. That's how I want to engage myself as an actor going forward.
David Oyelowo
Image
I think that having a black president in America has been a seismic shift, in terms of what has been going on racially in America. I think that America is now engaging with how we have come to this point.
David Oyelowo
Image
Martin Luther King was a voice to the voiceless, and he did that tirelessly, and his faith was the engine to that. But he was just a human being, at the end of the day.
David Oyelowo
Image
Hate cannot overcome hate only love can do that.
David Oyelowo
Image
Whether we like to admit it or not, as artists, we do project our own worldview on to what we do.
David Oyelowo
Image
I think the notion that we are different just because of skin color, and that we should be kept apart or kept from interbreeding, is very hurtful.
David Oyelowo
Image
To break down prejudice is to get to a place of understanding, that can erode the ignorance.
David Oyelowo
Image
I was sometimes called 'coconut' when I was at school.
David Oyelowo
Image
I consider myself a human being, a Christian, a father, a husband, so many things, before being a black person.
David Oyelowo
Image
Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice.
David Oyelowo
Image
I truly believe that one of the things that has been lacking in America is a spirit of repentance about the injustices of slavery and the injustices of segregation and racism generally. I truly believe that we cannot come to a place of reconciliation until there is individual repentance and corporate repentance.
David Oyelowo
Image
Asher means 'happy and blessed' which embodies my eldest. Caleb means 'stubborn and tenacious dog' and I can't even tell you how much that is my little boy! It was a useful warning.
David Oyelowo
Image
I am a father, I am very aware of the things that I'm putting out in the world knowing that one day my children will watch the work that I've done. I want to be able to stand by it.
David Oyelowo
Image
We're not served by only knowing our finest hours through film or media, or in the history that we are taught. I think the only way we have a chance to not make the same mistakes again, is to historically understand the bad behavior and mistakes we've made previously.
David Oyelowo
Image
I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger, and arguably justifiably so, when you think about how brutal slavery was and what its brutal legacy still is.
David Oyelowo
Image
I admire many actors, though I don't think there's anyone whose career I would want to mirror sort of by the beats. What I'm really looking to do is constantly defy expectations. I'm very curious to see if you can actually have a character actor and a movie star's career combined.
David Oyelowo
Image
I seem to be able to disassociate my insecurities. I know a lot of actors - some of the best actors in the world - can't bear to watch themselves and I have to say I can't relate to that.
David Oyelowo
Image
I hear God as an audible voice.
David Oyelowo