'The Water Man' star David Oyelowo says he called Mel Gibson for directing advice
The 'Selma' actor made this directorial debut with this new coming-of-age story
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}David Oyelowo made his directorial debut with his new film "The Water Man."
The 45-year-old British star revealed although he was nervous to helm his own movie, he felt more than ready for the challenge.
"In my twenty-year career, I don't think there's a single director, a single film, that I was a part of where I wasn't gleaning information, gleaning education because I knew I wanted to [direct] at some point," Oyelowo told Fox News while promoting the film.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He also starred in and produced "The Water Man."
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"When I got this opportunity, I went back to some of the formative directors in my career trajectory, whether it's Ava DuVernay, with who I'm very close, or Chris McQuarrie and Will Gluck," he recalled.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}David Oyelowo in a behind the scenes still from directing "The Water Man." (Karen Ballard)
"I spoke to actors who directed films as well, like Nate Parker, Joel Edgerton, Mel Gibson, just to get [perspective] from them," the "Selma" star said.
He added, "You don't want to make all same the mistakes. You want to make new mistakes and learn from people who have done it already. And that was something I really took to heart."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Water Man" also features "This Is Us" rising star Lonnie Chavis and Rosario Dawson. The story follows a boy trying to save his ill mother by seeking a mythical figure with healing powers.
Dawson told Fox News she appreciated the story's bigger themes about grief and mortality.
"You're not patronizing the protagonist because they're young. You're actually pointing out their wisdom while at the same time seeing the handicaps of the elders around them who sometimes lose their focus and lose their way," she explained.
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Oyelowo echoed her sentiment. "When we get older, that's one of the things [adults] have as a disadvantage… that we don't retain some of that imaginative quality in order to be able to deal with some of the things that life throws at us. "
"The Water Man" is currently in select theaters and will be available on-demand on May 25.
FOX's Ashley Dvorkin contributed to this report.