Quote

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

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David Oyelowo
Age: 48
Born: 1976
Born: April 1
Actor
Film Actor
Film Director
Film Producer
Stage Actor
Television Actor
David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo
Cannot
Africa
Needs
Pull
Perception
Europe
Help
Whether
Helping
Continent
True
Continents

More quotes by David Oyelowo

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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.
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My ambition is to keep the audience guessing... that is my path to a long career.
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My parents are very hard working people who did everything they could for their children. I have two brothers and they worked dog hard to give us an education and provide us with the most comfortable life possible. My dad provided for his family daily. So, yes, that is definitely in my DNA.
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I consider myself a human being, a Christian, a father, a husband, so many things, before being a black person.
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I love tennis, love it!
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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.
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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.
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Considering how pervasive interracial marriage is, certainly in American society, it is rare we get to see it depicted on film.
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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.
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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.
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People have compact to go beyond our own culture and upbringing to a degree that I think we don't acknowledge enough really.
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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.
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I feel television is in a fantastically rich vein of what it's presenting both by opportunity to actors and to audiences.
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I have a bee in my bonnet as to how few black historical figures one sees on film incredible stories, stories from which we are living the legacy and which just don't get made.
David Oyelowo
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I love that as a black person I've experienced not being a minority. I think that's helped me to combat the minority mentality people can have here, which can stop them scaling the heights.
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Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice.
David Oyelowo
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One of the things the BBC does better than anyone is period drama.
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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.
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It's fascinating to work with a company of actors of such different ages, experience and talents. I'm one of a generation brought up on television whose acting is more 'naturalistic', whereas with some of the older generation it's more heightened. But I think there's room for both styles.
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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