Daniels Hires Brit To Play Luther King, Jr.

PRECIOUS director LEE DANIELS has turned to Britain while casting for his civil rights movie SELMA - he’s hired U.K. actor DAVID OYELOWO to play iconic American MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

The Oscar-nominated filmmaker is turning his attentions to the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1960s, and will tell the story of the historic marches led by Luther King Jr. in Selma, Atlanta.

But rather than cast an American in the role, Daniels has opted for British TV actor Oyelowo, whose main film credits are The Last King of Scotland and As You like It.

Hugh Jackman is also signed to the film, playing state governor George Wallace, and earlier this month (Mar10), Daniels admitted he was worried as he hadn’t cast any of the film’s other parts.

He said, “I feel like I’m caught up a little bit with that. I have to really start casting the movie because we’re shooting it soon. The only person I’ve nailed in for sure is Hugh Jackman. It’s all over the place.”