David Oyelowo has been working since at least the end of 2013 to bring a story of love in the face of oppression called** A United Kingdom** to life as a producer and star. He’s now locked in two key players, with Belle** director Amma Asante on to call the shots and Rosamund Pike sealing a deal to co-star{
Oyelowo is set to play Seretse Khama, heir to the African throne of Botswana, who created a sensation in 1948 by engaging in a whirlwind romance in London with a woman named Ruth Williams (Pike). Romancing a white English office worker was considered controversial enough, but then he married her. The interracial union was opposed by both their families, as well as the British government, the tribal elders of Botswana and the apartheid government of South Africa.
"Amma and Rosamund are two of the most exciting talents working in film today,” says Oyelowo. “I've worked with both of them before and so my excitement about them joining A United Kingdom stems from a knowledge of just how inspiring they are to work with and how much daring and beauty they will bring to this epic love story."
Asante, who brought Belle to screens in 2013, will start work on the new film this October with Pathé International providing the finances. It’s good to see her back in action after a couple of years developing projects. Pike, meanwhile, is currently on UK screens in thriller** Return To Sender**.