If you haven’t checked out the Paramount+ drama Lawmen: Bass Reeves, you’re missing out on the true story of one of Black history’s unsung heroes. The anthology series chronicles the life and career of Deputy US Marshal Bass Reeves, who is widely known as the greatest lawman in history. Legend says he’s the hero the Lone Ranger is based on. David Oyelowo executive produces and stars as Bass. He spoke to The Root about bringing the hero to life and his long, personal journey to get this story made.
Unlike some modern westerns, which can try too hard to capture the genre’s unique spirit, Bass Reeves has a classic, old school feel to it. This was an intentional choice on the production team’s part. In telling Bass’ story, they wanted things to feel as authentic as possible.
“We wanted to tell this in a way that had depth, resonance, complexity, and felt of a time,” Oyelowo told The Root. “To have that sort of classic feel in terms of the framing, camerawork, costumes, the artifacts, all of it. We wanted it to feel germane to the period, and not distracting.”
From the moment we meet Bass, it’s instantly clear that he’s the smartest person in the room. Of course, because he’s a Black man in a post-Civil War west, he must always appear non-threatening. This trait is something the Silo star wanted to be an essential part of Bass’ character. It’s his observational skills that make him such an exceptional Marshal.
“There’s no way you go on to have a 32 year career in law enforcement, where you’re not only employing your ability with a gun, but you’re smart. There’s no way you are achieving that without being the smartest guy in the room, despite the things that have been denied you,” he said. “I have found that people who possess that quality are incredible observers of their environment. They are great listeners. When they speak, it has a weight and a resonance. That was something we felt should be the case as a characteristic of Bass.”
For Oyelowo, “it was an eight year journey” to get the legendary lawman’s story told. Now that it’s officially out in the world—receiving rave reviews and reactions—he calls the experience “incredibly gratifying.” The award-winning actor is very aware that opportunities to lead big budget, major studio series don’t come along often. He also knows the consequences if the drama fails. However, none of that matters when he interacts with the older Black viewers who have developed a special connection to the western.
“It’s definitely a cause for celebration. What is even more gratifying for me is older black people who feel so seen in this show,” Oyelowo said. “I think it’s to do with the moral compass, the demeanor of Bass, the celebration of a Black family and the love within it.”
Playing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma has given Oyelowo a special perspective on how important projects highlighting Black history are. He doesn’t want us to rely on entertainment for our history lessons, but with so many school boards trying to pretend Black history didn’t happen, the information has to be taught somewhere.
“You could argue that our history shouldn’t be gained from movies and TV shows,” he said. “But if that’s the way we’re going to get it, if that’s going to be the jump off for other people to go and find out more, or at least have a context for who these heroes of ours are, then I just feel incredibly proud to be in some way a drop in the ocean of that.”
Lawmen: Bass Reeves is available on Paramount+, with new episodes premiering on Sundays.