7 actors who played Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how they compare to the civil rights leader

Max KalnitzJan 18, 2021, 20:53 IST

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Clifton Powell.Hulton Archive/Getty;

Throughout the years, many actors have portrayed Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in TV series, movies, and even on Broadway.
Paul Winfield was the first to do so in the 1978 NBC miniseries "King."
Critics raved about Samuel L. Jackson's performance as King in the 2011 Broadway play "The Mountaintop."
David Oyelowo shared a striking resemblance to Dr. King in his Golden Globe-winning performance in the 2015 film "Selma."

Following Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death in 1968, many actors have portrayed the civil rights leader in TV series, movies, and even on Broadway. And while it's important to evoke the powerful words and triumphant essence that Dr. King embodied, it also helps to look the part.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we rounded up seven actors who've played him and how they compare to the real man.

Paul Winfield played King in the 1978 NBC miniseries "King."

Paul Winfield plays Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1978 miniseries "King." NBC

Winfield captured the determination and passion of King well, so much so that he earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of the civil rights leader.

Winfield told the New York Times he put on 30 pounds to play the part and studied films and home movies of King. The preparation paid off.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks at Quinn Chapel on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, during the 1960s. Robert Abbott Sengstacke/Getty Images

In addition to getting the hair and mustache right, Winfield captured the essence of MLK's expressions while he preached or spoke publicly. Yet Winfield avoided "a conscious impersonation," the New York Times reported in 1978.

"It's impossible to do the man justice—his deep, rich baritone voice and tremendous breath control were brilliant just from an acting point of view. I couldn't have done it," Winfield told the publication. "Dr. King's father said to me, 'There was only one Martin.' As an actor, I had to be free to expand here, add there."

In addition to getting the hair and mustache right, Winfield captured the essence of MLK's expressions while he preached or spoke publicly. Yet Winfield avoided a conscious impersonation, the New York Times reported in 1978.

It's impossible to do the man justice—his deep, rich baritone voice and tremendous breath control were brilliant just from an acting point of view. I couldn't have done it, Winfield told the publication. Dr. King's father said to me, 'There was only one Martin.' As an actor, I had to be free to expand here, add there.

Clifton Powell starred as Dr. King in the 1999 biographical drama "Selma, Lord, Selma."

Clifton Powell playing Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Walt Disney Television

The movie is based on real events that happened during the Selma to Montgomery marches and follows the journey of a young girl who, after seeing King deliver a speech, is moved and joins in the marches.

Though Powell's performance as King is powerful, his Southern accent wasn't all that convincing.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966. Bettmann

There's something just a little bit off about his impersonation of King's voice — he's too soft-spoken and sounds more like he's from New York.

Jeffrey Wright played King in the 2001 HBO film "Boycott."

Jeffrey Wright as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in "Boycott." HBO/YouTube

The film was inspired by Stewart Burns' book "Daybreak of Freedom," and follows a timeline from Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a "whites only" bus in 1955 to the end of the bus boycott the following year.

The film was inspired by Stewart Burns' book Daybreak of Freedom, and follows a timeline from Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a whites only bus in 1955 to the end of the bus boycott the following year.

Read also: 34 things you probably didn't know about Martin Luther King Jr.

Wright's hairline is a bit off and his delivery is at times quiet, but the actor did a remarkable job playing King.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on "Face The Nation" in 1967. CBS Photo Archive

Among other nominations and awards, the HBO film received three nominations – including Outstanding Actor for Wright — and one win at the 2002 NAACP Image Awards.

Variety's Phil Gallo wrote in 2001 that Wright played King "with hushed zeal and an inner flame that grows into a fuel burn by telepic's end."

Among other nominations and awards, the HBO film received three nominations – including Outstanding Actor for Wright — and one win at the 2002 NAACP Image Awards.

Variety's Phil Gallo wrote in 2001 that Wright played King with hushed zeal and an inner flame that grows into a fuel burn by telepic's end.

Dexter Scott King, son of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., played his father in the 2002 film, "The Rosa Parks Story."

Dexter Scott King starring as his father in "The Rosa Parks Story." CBS/YouTube

The TV movie explored the life of civil rights activist Rosa Parks and the events that lead to her refusal to give up her seat on a "whites only" bus in 1955 and the subsequent bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.

The TV movie explored the life of civil rights activist Rosa Parks and the events that lead to her refusal to give up her seat on a whites only bus in 1955 and the subsequent bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.

You can't possibly cast a more authentic actor than King's own son.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1962. Donald Uhrbrock/Getty Images

Not only does Dexter look like his father, but he also inherited the same powerful, booming voice that could get the attention of an entire room in a second.

Samuel L. Jackson appeared on Broadway in 2011 playing Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in "The Mountaintop."

Samuel L. Jackson in "The Mountaintop." Katori Hall/YouTube

The play, written by Katori Hall, tells the fictional story of April 3, 1968 — the night before King's assassination — in room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. In the UK, it won the Laurence Olivier Award for best new play in 2010. It opened on Broadway the following year.

While they might not look alike - the real MLK had a rounder, fuller face - critics gave glowing reviews of Jackson's performance.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ap photo

We've associated Jackson's voice for years with iconic characters in Quentin Tarantino movies — such as Jules Winnfield from "Pulp Fiction" or Ordell Robbie from "Jackie Brown" — so it might seem hard to separate Jackson from these performances. Yet the New York Times' Ben Brantley called his portrayal of King "engagingly low-key."

We've associated Jackson's voice for years with iconic characters in Quentin Tarantino movies — such as Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction or Ordell Robbie from Jackie Brown — so it might seem hard to separate Jackson from these performances. Yet the New York Times' Ben Brantley called his portrayal of King engagingly low-key.

Malik Yoba appeared briefly as King in Lifetime's 2013 film "Betty & Coretta."

Malik Yoba as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in "Betty & Coretta." Sanitsky Company

The film followed the lives of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s and Malcolm X's widows after their assassinations.

Yoba looks strikingly close to King and played him convincingly.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

However, he was not on screen for long — the majority of the movie follows Coretta Scott King, played by Angela Bassett, and Dr. Betty Shabazz, played by Mary J. Blige.

David Oyelowo played King in Ava DuVernay's 2014 biopic "Selma."

David Oyelowo as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma." 20th Century Fox

The film is a dramatic recount of King's voter rights campaign and the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965.

Oyelowo nailed his portrayal of Dr. King.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. AP

Oyelowo shared a striking resemblance to Dr. King, and also mastered his speaking style. The actor won a Golden Globe for his performance in the film.

The New York Times' A.O. Scott wrote in 2014 that Oyelowo played the icon "with the requisite grace and dignity and also with streaks of humor, weariness and doubt."