David Oyelowo

Biography: David's family originates from Nigeria. David says he "fell into acting" when a girl he fancied at church asked him to go to the theatre with her. What he thought was a date turned out to be a theatre group at The National Theatre. David studied Theatre Studies for A level and his teacher suggested he should become an actor. After A levels David enrolled for a year on an Art foundation course before training at LAMDA, having his course paid for by the director Nicholas Hytner. Having been offered television work David left LAMDA at the end of the first term of his third year. Then in 1999 was offered a season with the RSC playing roles in Volpone and Oroonoko. In December 2000 David returned to the RSC to play the title role in Henry VI. His performance won him the Ian Charleson Award 2001 for best newcomer in a classical play. David has become known to television audiences as Danny Hunter in the TV series Spooks (2002) and the critically acclaimed drama Tomorrow La Scala (2002), as well as appearances in Maisie Raine and Brothers and Sisters.

David is a committed Christian and says that being a Christian has been invaluable and means that acting hasn't become the centre of his life.

He is married to actress Jessica Oyelowo and they have two sons, Asha and Caleb.… Expand