Actor David Oyelowo Visits WWJ On Promo Tour For "Captive"

DETROIT (WWJ) - He's a classically-trained actor who's starred in dozens of films, including "Selma," "The Butler, " and "Jack Reacher," opposite Tom Cruise. And now actor David Oyelowo has taken on a new role: this time as a convicted killer. Oyelowo stopped by the WWJ studios to discuss his latest project, the upcoming feature film, "Captive."

"It was in 2005 that Brian Nichols broke out of the courthouse jail in Atlanta and killed the judge, the stenographer, a sheriff's deputy and a customs officer, all in a morning," Oyelowo told WWJ's Terri Lee.

Oyelowo stars as Nichols, and it's his first role since starring in the Academy Award-nominated "Selma," in which he won rave reviews for his portrayal of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior.

"It is a big shift but, like I say, the thing that drew me to both stories is that they ultimately are speaking to that which is miraculous, I think, in terms of us as human beings," Oyelowo said.

Oyelowo also served as a producer on "Captive," a project he says he chose very carefully.

"The thing that made me gravitate towards the story is the fact that you have light coming out of a very, very dark place," Oyelowo said. "You know, in terms of Selma, you have undeniable injustice, you have a situation where people are being marginalized on the basis of their race, and not only black people, but white people also come together with black people to fight that injustice."

Captive opens September 18th. Look for my review opening day. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer here.

See you at the movies!