David Oyelowo Officially Makes History as ‘Treasure Island’s Long John Silver [Exclusive]

Treasure Island‘s Long John Silver is the most iconic pirate in the literary canon; all of his buccaneer successors stand in his tall shadow. Now, a fresh take on Robert Louis Stevenson‘s salty sea dog is headed to streaming this fall in a new miniseries, courtesy of David Oyelowo. Collider’s Perri Nemiroff caught up with Oyelowo at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he’s promoting his new film, Clarissa. One of Stevenson’s most iconic creations, Long John Silver introduced many elements of the canonical ur-pirate, from his squawking pet parrot to his peg leg. Walt Disney’s live-action adaptation of the novel, released in 1950, likewise influenced the popular image of the pirate; actor Robert Newton exaggerated his own native West Country accent for the role of Silver, creating what is now popularly known as the “pirate accent.”