Jessica Oyelowo ( Watson; born 1978) is a British-American actress and singer.

Early life

She was born Jessica Watson in Ipswich, and spent her childhood in Woodbridge, Suffolk. She attended Woodbridge School as a child and was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre.

Career

In 2006, she starred as Detective Sergeant Alex Jones in Mayo, then went on to appear in Murphy's Law alongside James Nesbitt, in 2007. She provided the voice of Mrs. Equiano (alongside her husband as Olaudah Equiano) in Grace Unshackled – The Olaudah Equiano Story (a radio play adapting Equiano's 1789 autobiography The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano), first broadcast on BBC 7 on 8 April 2007.

Personal life

Oyelowo resides in Tarzana in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, US with her husband, actor David Oyelowo. They met while attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. They have four children. They formerly resided in Brighton, England. Both she and her husband are committed Christians. Oyelowo and her husband became naturalised US citizens on 20 July 2016. As the wife of a Yoruba tribal prince, Oyelowo is entitled to the honorific style Olori. She currently does not use it.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage work