Straight off the back of playing Prince Rainer III in the Cannes-selected period piece Grace of Monaco, Quentin Tarantino favorite Tim Roth is set to appear in another historical drama in the form of Selma.
In the film, which is about the civil rights movement in the sixties and Martin Luther King Jr.’s stand against racism, Roth will play Alabama governor George Wallace, whose opposition to King led to the famous 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. The picture is being produced by Paramount and helmed by the filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who has worked on projects such as The Middle of Nowhere and The Help. David Oyelowo, who also appeared in Steven Spielberg’s civil rights epic Lincoln, will star as Martin Luther King Jr., and long-time acting heavyweight Tom Wilkinson will play President Lyndon Johnson.
Roth’s involvement in the project is sure to bring a smile to anybody who appreciates a serious acting pedigree. He made a name for himself in Tarantino’s indie masterpiece Reservoir Dogs, is a performer who very rarely misses his mark, and has shown a strong track record in playing both good and evil characters. Wallace may not be inherently evil per say, but he will be Selma’s antagonist and will be a vessel into which Roth can really sink his teeth into.
From Funny Games to Pulp Fiction, the actor has displayed a knack of picking very different characters, making him impossible to type-cast, so moviegoers should expect a performance that is both utterly convincing in its delivery and absolutely fascinating to watch.
Tell us, are you excited for Selma? What is your favourite Tim Roth performance? Let us know in the comments section below!