Brit Carmen Ejogo takes on American heroine Coretta Scott King in Selma, the biopic detailing the life of legendary civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.
Ejogo, of Sparkle fame, will be joined by fellow British actor David Oyelowo, who will take on the role of MLK in the Ava DuVernay-directed film. Tom Wilkinson, who played Carmine Falcone in 2005′s Batman Begins, will complete this British trifecta by playing President Lyndon B. Johnson.
A slew of producers are collaborating on the film, including Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner (12 Years a Slave), and Christian Colson. Representing Pathe, which is financing the motion picture, Cameron McCracken is also among those producing.
Ejogo starred as Sister Anderson in the 2012 remake of the 1976 film Sparkle. The Alex Cross actress is also set to star in horror-thriller sequel The Purge: Anarchy, which hits theaters on July 18.
Although the resemblance between Ejogo and Scott King is uncanny, do you think it’s fair to have so many British actors playing African-American heroes? Or is finding the best talent most important?