The first thing one notices about David Oyelowo upon meeting him is that he has a presence that fills an entire room. Despite his small stature, his charisma is such that you can instantly get why he was chosen to play Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma. But that personal power he possesses can be turned in different ways, and Oyelowo commands it as convicted murder Brian Nichols in Captive, a drama based on real life events from 2005 in Atlanta.
On trial for rape, Nichols fled incarceration, murdered the judge in charge of his case, and killed three others during the escape. Eventually he kidnapped Ashley Smith (Kate Mara), a drug addicted mother, and held her captive while a manhunt ensued. During their brief time together she helped him find meaning by reading to him Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life.
I had a chance to sit down with Oyelowo and talk to him about the challenges of playing someone like Nichols, and what he hopes audiences will take from the film's message. Check out the interview below. You can also find Mae's review of Captive here.
