The blockbuster movie season has arrived months ahead summer and black excellence remains the theme with Hollywood heavyweight David Oyelowo leading the way in the new action-comedy, Gringo. Oyelowo stars as the naive Nigerian immigrant, Harold, who works diligently at a pharmaceutical firm involved in shady dealings in Mexico.
Oyelowo speaks his conversation with director/filmmaker, Nash Edgerton, who told him, “I’ve got to admit… I never considered this role to be played by a black person.” However, Oyelowo credits Edgerton’s honesty and openness to seeing a different perspective which allowed Oyelowo to bring his Nigerian background to add dimension to Gringo’ gullible, Harold.
SOHH sat down with the Selma star this week to discuss everything from Black Panther shaking up the movie industry to saluting Amazon Studios for taking risks on Gringo:
1. On the topic Black Panther…
“Regarding Black Panther, it’s ironic to me that it’s taken a fictional view Africa to depict what it is truly like. That self-possession, the regality, the embracing the resources on that continent… that is all based in fact. When you have this futuristic view Africa, that has nothing to do with black struggle, that is something to embrace. The ironic thing is that the truth Africa is actually THAT.”
2. On pursuing new Hollywood projects…
“What I am going to do is I’m going to bring complexity to what it means to be a black person on planet earth. I’m dedicated to shifting that focus.”
3. On the Oscars So White movement…
“The ‘Oscars So White’ movement was not just an industry thing, real protests go down to the bottom line. People are saying I not going to the movies unless I can see myself.”
4. On companies like Amazon Studios jumping into the competitive movie industry…
“My role in Gringo – a studio would not have sanctioned that. You have companies like Netflix and Amazon that are prepared to take risks. They are disruptors. What’s happening is a disruption the system. They are encouraging new voices. And the audience is rewarding them financially. So now, the other traditional ways thinking have to get in line or they are going to die.”
Gringo is currently in theaters nationwide.