It’s been a decade since he left his breakthrough role in action spy drama ‘Spooks’, but David Oyelowo’s career has soared. But the Oscar-nominated actor’s next role couldn’t be more different…
A United Kingdom will receive its European première at the 60th BFI London Film Festival on October 5th after it was selected to open the event. So what can we be expect from the movie that stars David Oyelowo – who first came to fame in action series Spooks?
The film is a real-life portrayal of a love story surrounding the marriage of an African king and an office worker from England in the 1940s and 1950s, and is directed by award winning British ‘Belle‘ director Amma Asante. Oyelowo plays the king, Seretse Khama. He will be joined by the star of Gone Girl (actress Rosamund Pike) who takes the role of Khama’s wife, Ruth.
The film delves into history and provides realistic accounts of what the problems regarding race wer elike within society at that time – and,indeed, around the world. A United Kingdom tells how Seretse Khama (who was originally crowned King of Bechuanaland at just four years of age) fell in love with office girl Ruth Williams. The pair marry despite the fierce opposition on the arrangement from both families as well as the governments in both the UK and South Africa. The film follows the couple’s struggle when they are forced to live in exile in the UK due to the controversy the marriage caused on a national political level in both apartheid South Africa as well as in the UK.
Oyelowo and Pike are outstanding British actors, so it will be interesting to see their potential chemistry – and with Harry Potter star Tom Felton (who rose to fame as Hogwarts villain Draco Malfoy), Only Fools and Horses‘ Nicholas Lyndhurst and Pirates of the Caribbean‘s Jack Davenport also involved, it is building up to be an interestingly diverse and star-studded cast.
The film is actually expected to have its world première at either the Venice International Film Festival or Toronto International Film Festival before its European unveiling in London later this year.
this does look like an interesting movie, but can’t imagine its got fights, car chases, stunts or anything that Impact normally focuses on?