It was seen as one of the Academy’s biggest oversights to leave out David Oyelowo’s performance in Selma from 2015’s best actor nominations, but it looks as if he might have another chance to win an Oscar for playing the same role.
In an interview with Esquire, Oyelowo revealed that Steven Spielberg has asked him to take on Martin Luther King Jr again for his long-gestating biopic.
“I was at an event for AFI during award season and Steven Spielberg – who has famously been interested in making his own Martin Luther King film – came up to me and said, ‘My goodness, David, that’s one of the best things I have ever seen. You really inspired me to take another look at my Dr King film.’ And then he goes, ‘You would reprise the role, right? You would do it again?’ My stomach all but fell out of my body,” he said. “I was just like, ‘Oh, my lord.’ That was quite a mountain to climb. Not only did the idea of being asked to do it again give me pause, but here he is, Steven Spielberg of all people, [asking] if I would entertain doing it again.”
While Ava DuVernay might have beat Spielberg to the screen with her critically acclaimed Selma, Spielberg still owns the life rights to Martin Luther King Jr, meaning he would be able to use his actual speeches in the film.
According to Oyelowo, it’s not the only offer he’s had to play the civil rights leader again.
“I really don’t know. I’ve already been asked by a project that will remain nameless,” he said. “To be honest, right now, today I couldn’t think of anything worse. Just the weight gain alone is a reason for me to stay away from it! But I feel like we did so much with that film. It’s time to let that film do its thing for a while before I go entertaining anything like that.”
Oyelowo received a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Selma, but missed out on recognition from the Academy. He will next be seen in true crime thriller Captive.
