British born Nigerian actor David Oyelowo broke the color barrier at the Royal Shakespeare Company with his bravura performance in a production of "Henry VI" before going on to achieve big screen success in a variety of genres. Pre-fame, Oyelowo was seen regularly in British households as a cast member on the hit spy series "MI-5" (BBC, 2002-11) and he successfully segued into film with solid performances in pictures like "The Last King of Scotland" (2006) and "Who Do You Love" (2008). He also continued to act on stage and established his own theatre company. Oyelowo gained additional mass audience exposure by appearing in the hit films "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (2011) and "The Help" (2011), and was also featured in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (2012), and the Tom Cruise vehicle "Jack Reacher" (2012). With his exemplary background in live theatre, solid experience in series television, and increasing presence in feature films, Oyelowo demonstrated solid credentials and became a breakout international star with his impassioned performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights tale "Selma" (2014), a role that greatly expanded his international visibility.