By Samantha Ofole-Prince
With roles that include his energetic portrayal of blues man Muddy Waters in “Who Do You Love,” Joseph Asagai in the television drama “A Raisin in the Sun,” to his charismatic portrayal of Martin Luther King in “Selma”, British Nigerian actor David Oyelowo is one of the most versatile thespians of his generation.
He has marked the screen playing memorable characters, and was the first black actor to play an English king for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In his latest film “Newborn,” Oyelowo reteams with writer/director Nate Parker.
The duo previously worked together portraying Tuskegee Airmen (the first black military aviators in the United States armed forces) in the George Lucas produced vehicle “Red Tails.”
In “Newborn,” which Parker will direct, Oyelowo plays Chris Newborn, a former prisoner seeking to rebuild his life and reconnect with his family only to find that freedom has become a terrifying psychological battleground.
They will release the film theatrically on April 10th exclusively at AMC Theatres through their co-founded company Mansa Studios, which focuses on diaspora content.
“When it came to our distribution goals, AMC truly understood the empowering direct-to-consumer nature of the partnership we were seeking for our film while embracing the non-algorithmic yet immersive experience we wanted the audience to have,” says Oyelowo who can also be seen in the upcoming thriller Heist of Benin, produced through his Yoruba Saxon banner.