“Queen of Katwe” is a sports drama film that tells a true story of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan chess prodigy from Katwe who becomes a Woman Candidate Master after her performances at World Chess Olympiads.
The film stars Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o who plays Harriet Mutesi, Mutesi’s mother, while David Oyelowo plays as Robert Katende, a missionary who teaches children the game of chess.
Relevant Magazine Spoke with actor David Oyelowo about this powerful film and the role that faith plays in his life and career.
It is here that the 40-year-old reveals a moment in ‘Queen of Katwe’ where he and the kids get into a prayer huddle to pray just before a tournament.
“That’s a scene that wasn’t scripted, but I knew it was something that Robert Katende actually does with chess players before they go into a tournament,” David Oyelowo told the Magazine, and was quick to add that someone whose experience of religion or Christianity or faith is different will inevitably impose their own perspective on a story.
“Because I share his (Robert Katende) faith, I said let’s pray. The kids who all are familiar with prayer and who are familiar with Robert’s faith immediately got into a huddle and we prayed and that made the film. I know that wouldn’t be in the film if I as a Christian weren’t there to basically exhort the virtues of my perspective and what I know to be true about the positive sides of my faith.” He said.
David, who is a British Nigerian actor and producer born in England says that Robert Katende is truly is a self-sacrificing individual in real life, so acting this role is something he wanted to do.
“He works for a sports ministry out in Uganda and his role he believed, his calling, is to give these kids hope. He spends the time doing it because he’s doing for others what he wishes was done for him. He was an orphan himself. He had incredible talents as a young kid. He was incredibly bright and played soccer, but he didn’t have any mentors. He didn’t have anyone around him to truly help him achieve the fullness of his potential,” David further revealed.
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