Oprah Winfrey is "like a mother" David Oyelowo.

The 69-year-old media mogul starred as the on-screen mother of David, 47, in the 2014 movie 'The Butler' and he has now admitted she has been so "supportive with advice" in the years since as he reflected on their special bond.

He told People: "She's like a mother to me and has been since we did 'The Butler', where we actually played mother and son. She's just been so supportive with advice, practically speaking, spiritually speaking, emotionally speaking."

The 'Silo' star went on to add that former talk show host Oprah was key to getting some of his other projects off the ground and has taught him about the power of "advocacy" as he admitted he tries to take her values on into his own life as well.

He said: "She has been with me on this journey, this eight-year journey to getting not only Bass Reeves made, but Selma made. She's one of the reasons that show, that film, exists. She taught me what advocacy looks like because she has advocated for me enormously, and that's something I'm now trying to carry into my own life as well."

On Friday, 'The Colour Purple' star gave a speech about her on-screen son as she hailed him as a "giving, gracious human being" whom she allows him to refer to her as Mam-O.

She said: "He's] such a spirit-centered, such a giving, gracious human being. And I am so glad that he is receiving the rewards of his labour. He's the only person outside my circle of daughter girls that is allowed to call me Mam-O because everybody else calling Mama O, no, it doesn't work for me. He's the only person allowed."