WASHINGTON — Second chances can be a powerful thing, both in life and in the cinema.
David Oyelowo, star of such inspirational films as “Selma” (2014), “The Butler” (2013) and “Lincoln” (2012), returns for his most spiritual tale yet in Jerry Jameson’s new crime drama, “Captive.”
The film recounts the real-life events of March 11, 2005, when accused rapist Brian Nichols broke out of a courthouse jail and killed four people, including the judge. He then drove to Duluth, Georgia, and broke into the apartment of a meth addict, Ashley Smith, and held her hostage.
“When I heard about this story, I was just struck by the miraculous nature of it,” Oyelowo tells WTOP. “She showed him a degree of compassion. She had watched him on this murderous spree through the day and would be well in her rights to just be terrified, which she was. But they just had this point of connection. She read him Rick Warren’s book ‘A Purpose Driven Life,’ she made pancakes for him, and somehow defused this bomb of a human being that he was on that day.”
Oyelowo and co-star Kate Mara (“House of Cards”) wanted to chart the transformation gradually.
“One of the conscious things we did is to have Brian not say anything until he breaks into the apartment, so you can project all of your prejudice and all of your understandable judgment on him,” Oyelowo says. “This is someone that has an admittedly very warped rationale for what he did, but there is still a beating heart in there. So the idea was to very much have him be the monster that he was that day and then watch how Ashley Smith’s humanity thawed him.”
Smith’s humanity is reminiscent of the grace shown by the forgiving families after the recent church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina.
“The best of us is when we realize and embrace the fact that light shines brightest in the darkness,” Oyelowo says. “This was a dark day. There are people whose lives are forever broken by what Brian Nichols did that day. There’s no way that anything good should come out of it. There’s no way that anything good should come out of Charleston. But the level of forgiveness that those people were able to exhibit — so admirable, mind-blowing really.”
In the case of Ashley Smith, the exchange with Nichols turned her life around.
“The fact that Brian and Ashley had this exchange on that day led to her never touching meth again, regaining custody of her daughter and embracing her second chance,” Oyelowo says. “She’s helped thousands of people with the same addiction to recover … and here we are having made a movie that hopefully points to the grace that was exhibited on that day. I think it points to the best of us.”
Oyelowo hopes the film appeals to our better angels with its universal theme of redemption.
“Often, we relegate ourselves to the scrap heap — Ashley Smith had that day,” Oyelowo says. “She actually said to me that she felt Brian Nichols breaking into her apartment that day when he first did was God’s way of saying you messed up so much that you deserve death, and actually it was the opposite that took place that day. She gained life. I think we all have done things we would love redemption from and a second chance, so that’s why I hope the film speaks to everyone.”
Flawed humans make for the best character studies, whether it’s a lowly meth addict such as Ashley Smith or the iconic civil rights leader Oyelowo played in “Selma” (2014): Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“The job of a movie being made about a real person is to bring dimension,” Oyelowo says. “What I wanted is to go into the human side of the person, because ultimately I believe we go to the movies to see ourselves. In my portrayal of Dr. King, what I wanted is for you to see yourself in Dr. King. … He actually becomes greater because he’s like you and I, and yet he did what he did anyway.”
“Selma” not only earned him a Golden Globe nomination; it provided him the chance to work with director Ava DuVernay, one of the many talented filmmakers he’s worked with in recent years.
WTOP wrapped our chat with a rapid-fire Q&A on some of Oyelowo’s favorite filmmakers:
Steven Spielberg — “Lincoln” (2012)
“Genius.”
Christopher Nolan — “Interstellar” (2014)
“The greatest cinematic mind.”
J.C. Chandor — “A Most Violent Year” (2014)
“Unbelievable storyteller. Can’t pin him down.”
Lee Daniels — “The Butler” (2013)
“A complete renegade, singular voice in cinema. Can’t wait to work with him again.”
Ava DuVernay — “Selma” (2014)
“My sister, my friend, my favorite director of all time.”
Jerry Jameson — “Captive” (2015)
“An incredible collaborator. We really went in the trenches to try and make sure that the film wasn’t preachy, stayed raw, but also didn’t shy away from the hope. I just really enjoyed four years of crafting this story with him.”
David Oyelowo (himself)
“Still learning.”
This is now my favorite article of all time. https://t.co/hcC1vsSqBD
— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) September 17, 2015
