There are often moments in an actor’s career that there is a pivotal breakout role. However, when it comes to David Oyelowo, the term “breakout role” is not appropriate.
Oyelowo moved audiences with his portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in “Selma” and the possibility of being typecast could have been the road for the Shakespeare-trained actor.
However, Oyelow shows even more of his depth and range in his portrayal of Brian Nichols in his new movie, “Captive,” and has solidified why he is not just an actor but a true thespian.
“Captive,” based on a miraculous story that drew the attention of the entire nation, is a thrilling drama about the spiritual collision of two broken lives. When Brian Nichols — on the run as the subject of a citywide manhunt and desperate to make contact with his newborn son — takes recovering meth addict Ashley Smith hostage in her own apartment, she turns for guidance to Rick Warren’s best-selling inspirational book, “The Purpose Driven Life.” While reading aloud, Ashley and her would-be killer each face crossroads where despair and death intercept hope.
For Oyelowo, the film offers a glimpse into that rare moment when a crisis turns into a golden opportunity for one person to make a difference.
“I think audiences watching ‘Captive’ will see a story that shows us all that it’s never too late to change your life and that redemption can come under the most unlikely circumstances,” Oyelowo said. “So many of us can relate to Ashley’s situation. We all have our demons, we all have our weaknesses, but by and large I think humanity is grasping for goodness and this film shows two broken people who find a sliver of light in a very dark hour.
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“To me, that crystallizes so much of what the human experience is — that we are built of hope. Yes, we all fall short, but to see the light come in at the harshest moments is a constant inspiration.”
But how does one prepare to portray a killer, especially, an actor who is a devoted Christian? It was not an easy task.
“It’s very difficult not to judge someone like Brian Nichols and it’s very difficult not to rule him out because what he did was so heinous. As an actor, you can’t afford to judge your character. You are playing someone and when you’re saying you are a bad guy, look at what you’ve done. At that moment, you are judging and placing yourself outside the character, you are no longer inside the character.
“That fact is on that given day, Brian Nichols was doing what he felt he needed to do, to get out, to get to his son. My job as an actor is to get into that headspace.”
Oyelowo acknowledged that potraying Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was emotionally less draining than playing Nichols.
“It takes a lot more work than even playing Dr. King because Dr. King is someone I admire, I adhere to his philosophies. I wanted to be in that space because I admire Dr. King so much,” he said. “It was difficult to be in the constant headspace of a killer. I did feel like I needed a spiritual bath at the end of each day. It was very intense.”
Although spiritual baths were needed, sharing Ashley Smith’s story and showing that hope, purpose and second chances can be afforded to everyone was worth it.
“The movie is about a second chances and how they can come at the most unlikely moments, which pivots us into the direction of the true purpose of our lives, which affects more than just us,” he said.
Oyelowo defined purpose as being bigger than just us.
“It’s a ripple effect, that affects so many people. As with Ashley, her decision to not take drugs anymore, to realize that she would rather die than to give into an addiction that caused so much loss in her life, that decisions affect her daughter, her future husband and child whom she had not even met. It was beyond her, bigger than herself,” he explained.
That is the message in Ashley’s story. That is the message of “Captive”: In her captivity she chose freedom.
“Captive” opens Sept. 18.
www.captivethemovie.com
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