All About David Oyelowo's Wife and Their Children

Explore how the couple met, the values that guide them, and the intentional way they raise their family across different cultures. Plus, at the end of the article, you'll get a glimpse into their interracial household and the love that binds them all together.

David Oyelowo has often spoken about the importance of family, but it's the love story behind the scenes that truly anchors his world.

Long before his name appeared in film credits alongside Hollywood legends, he met Jessica Watson — now Jessica Oyelowo — at London's National Youth Music Theatre.

They were teenagers with big dreams, and from that moment on, they never looked back. They both later studied at LAMDA, where their relationship deepened.

In a decision that baffled their peers and even surprised David's own family, the couple married young — he was 22, she was just 20. The move, shaped by their shared Christian faith, drew consternation from some and amusement from others.

"They were like, 'You are completely nuts to be doing this,'" David recalled years later, laughing at the memory. Since their engagement, the actor has made it a rule never to be apart from Jessica for more than two weeks.

It's a clause he insists on in every work contract, no matter where he is in the world. "Sometimes it's about the gesture," he explained. "It's about saying, 'You mean more to me than my profession, than my sleep, than anything else."'

That quiet commitment, he believes, has been instrumental in keeping their marriage strong through the turbulence of life in the public eye.

Jessica, an actress and musician in her own right, has often expressed similar sentiments. In 2024, she marked their 26th wedding anniversary with a moving tribute, writing, "It's not possible to know or love you anymore than I do right now."

The Oyelowos have since built a life rooted in shared values and deep mutual respect—despite coming from very different backgrounds.

David is the son of Nigerian immigrants and a descendant of Yoruba royalty, while Jessica hails from a working-class British family with missionary grandparents.

Yet, their connection has always gone beyond appearances. "We both come from Christian households," he once shared. "And the tenets of Christianity are sacrificial love, doing for the other at the expense of yourself."

Jessica echoed the sentiment. While she acknowledged their different races, she explained that the real challenge lies in raising children across multiple cultures. Together, they have four children: Asher, Caleb, Penuel, and Zoë.

"They're English, Nigerian, and American. So, it's more of a cultural clash and finding harmony within three different cultures than a racial element," she said.

From the outside, raising a family in Los Angeles while juggling acting careers and global projects may seem daunting, but the Oyelowos have navigated it with intention. "We're trying to raise three-dimensional, compassionate people," David stated.

That mindset was shaped early on by hardship. When the couple moved to LA, they already had two young children and a third on the way. The timing couldn't have been worse — Hollywood was in the midst of a writers' strike and the world was spiralling into recession.

David, once tipped as the next Olivier, found himself out of work, reduced to the odd voiceover job or teaching acting classes. At one point, they were down to their last $3.

"I remember standing in our house and giving her $2 and, almost symbolically, keeping the extra dollar in my wallet," he recalled. "And just feeling like, 'What did we do coming here? What were we thinking?'"

Fortunately, the roles eventually came, but the couple's priorities never shifted. Jessica, who homeschools their children, has often spoken candidly about the balance between motherhood and ambition.

"There's a shift that happens when you become a mother," she revealed. "It's definitely been a struggle where I'm going, 'Hang on, why am I home with the kids when I really want to just go out and conquer the world?"'

Yet motherhood has also been a creative inspiration. Jessica co-wrote and performed the song "What Love Does" for "The Water Man" soundtrack — David's directorial debut.

In a Facebook post, he called it a tribute to a mother's love, highlighting his wife's contribution to the film's emotional core.

The couple's bond is also something they strive to model for their children. In a 2021 Instagram post, she wrote that she and David try to prioritise each other so their children see the foundation of their home is their parents' relationship.

Their kids have subsequently grown up immersed in that love. In April 2021, Jessica surprised David on his birthday by flying all four of their children to Texas while he was filming on a night shoot. "He had no idea they were there," she wrote. "He's missed our babies so much."

From their early days as theatre hopefuls to raising a transcontinental family, David and Jessica Oyelowo have built a partnership marked by faith, sacrifice, and relentless support.

It's not without its challenges, but in the Oyelowo household, love has always been the centrepiece, and everything else flows from there.