David Oyelowo on the dark reality of solitary confinement in ‘Newborn’

About this episode

David Oyelowo discusses his role in the film 'Newborn' and the impact of solitary confinement.

Actor David Oyelowo doesn’t shy away from taking on complex, groundbreaking characters, but the timing has to be right. He portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in 'Selma,' the first Black U.S. marshal in the series 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves,' and took on the role of Othello almost a decade ago on stage. His latest role is in the film 'Newborn,' which is about a man struggling to reconnect with his family after years in solitary confinement. Oyelowo talks about what drew him to the project, the lack of general awareness around the impact of solitary confinement, and what made him finally say yes to playing Othello years ago.

People in this episode

Guest: David Oyelowo

Topics covered

• solitary confinement
• family reconnection
• film
• acting
• awareness
• character portrayal

Keywords

• David Oyelowo
• solitary confinement
• Newborn
• family
• acting
• Othello
• Selma
• Lawmen: Bass Reeves

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Newborn, Selma, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Othello

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