Inside David Oyelowo's life from devout faith to surprise 'royal family' connection

David Oyelowo’s eagerly anticipated new television project is about to hit screens - the wholly unique period comedy-drama Government Cheese on Apple TV+.

This hilariously surreal series stars Oyelowo as Hampton Chambers, a small-time criminal trying to reinvent his life after being released from prison in 1967.

To try and get his family back on track, he invents a self-sharpening drill called the Bit Magician whilst embarking on a spiritual journey to leave his past mistakes behind him.

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However, his partner-in-crime Bootsy (played by Bokeem Woodbine), as well as his unconventional family, wife Astoria (Simone Missick) and sons Harrison (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) and Einstein (Evan Alexander Ellison), soon start to complicate things.

As the off-kilter comedy picks up strong reviews ahead of its debut this Wednesday (16th April), let’s take a look at what we know about its lead star.

David Oyelowo’s personal life

British actor Oyelowo was born to Nigerian parents in Oxford on 1st April, 1976, making him 49 years old.

He has been married to fellow actress and singer Jessica Oyelowo (née Watson) for over 25 years after tying the knot in 1998.

The pair met at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and previously lived in Brighton before moving to Los Angeles and becoming naturalised US citizens in 2016.

They have four children together, Asher, Caleb, Penuel, and Zoe. Asher is the eldest and a musician, releasing his first EP, Mr. Misunderstood, in 2022.

Little is known about Oyelowo’s other two sons, Caleb and Penuel, or his youngest child and only daughter, Zoe, as their social media accounts are kept private.

Faith and diet

Speaking to Men’s Health, Oyelowo revealed he has been a pescatarian for several years out of solidarity for his late father, who was diagnosed with colon cancer and sadly passed away in 2021.

"He was told to stop eating meat," he shared. "And in solidarity with him we all stopped eating meat."

The actor also works out regularly to stay in shape and can be found in the gym on weekday mornings from around 5:30am. "Working out for me, it clears my mind, keeps my body strong, and I think it gives you longevity," he added.

He has also been open about his faith, as both he and Jessica are devout Christians.

Oyelowo shared to Premier Christianity in 2021: “Over the last three years I have lost both of my parents – my dad within the last month, in fact – and those tend to be the experiences that test your faith.

“I have often found that they have brought me closer to the Lord, and revealed more about how much I have indeed built my life on the rock that is Jesus Christ.”

He has also revealed that his faith drives him towards most of his projects, including believing that God called on him to portray the civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 2014 historical drama film Selma.

"I always knew that in order to play Dr. King, I had to have God flow through me because when you see Dr. King giving those speeches, you see that he is moving in his anointing,” he told Sojourners.

connection

As well as being an award-winning and nominated actor, Oyelowo has a surprising connection to a royal family - just not the British royals.

He is, in fact, technically a prince, or omoba, of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, as his grandfather was the king of an Oyo State called Awe.

However, Oyelowo has admitted to the Independent: “It sounds way more impressive than it actually is. There are so many royal families in Africa.”

He went on to explain: “What we think of as royalty in the UK is very different to royalty in Nigeria: if you were to throw a stone there, you would hit about 30 princes.

“So, it's a bit more like being the Prince of Islington: it was useful for getting dates but probably not much else.”

Government Cheese premieres Wednesday, 16th April on Apple TV+.