David Oyelowo Says Steven Spielberg Wants Him to Reprise Martin Luther King Jr. Role in Upcoming Biopic

After starring as Martin Luther King Jr. in Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed movie Selma, David Oyelowo revealed in a recent interview that another big-name director is trying to get him to reprise his role as the civil rights leader.

In an interview with Esquire, Oyelowo stated that Steven Spielberg has asked him to portray King in his upcoming biopic: “I was at an event for AFI during award season and Steven Spielberg—who has famously been interested in making his own Martin Luther King film—came up to me and said, ‘My goodness, David, that’s one of the best things I have ever seen. You really inspired me to take another look at my Dr. King film.’ And then he goes, ‘You would reprise the role, right? You would do it again?’

“My stomach all but fell out of my body,” Oyelowo said. “I was just like, ‘Oh, my lord.’ That was quite a mountain to climb. Not only did the idea of being asked to do it again give me pause, but here he is, Steven Spielberg of all people, [asking] if I would entertain doing it again.”