From the drug dealer to the justice fanatic, from the rebel leader to the freedom fighter: Idris Elba is firmly anchored in the film business, his career is advancing briskly.
The ImdB film database has announced two films with Idris Elba for 2021 – and he can flex his muscles in both: in the action adventure “Suicide Squad” and in the western “The Harder They Fall”. The British actor turns 49 today.
Born in London on September 6, 1972, the only child of African parents, Idris Elba became known in 2010 for the award-winning British crime series “Luther” (which is now also being made into a feature film). In it he plays a cop balancing between self-doubt and fanaticism for justice, who has charm and at the same time exudes a fascinating sense of danger. He chases evil, which is also a little bit in him: a man with rough edges.
But he had made his breakthrough earlier. As the drug lord Stringer Bell, he made television history with the series “The Wire” (2002-2004). “‘The Wire’ was the springboard for my career,” Idris Elba once said in an interview with the newspaper “Die Welt”. “It went very well, but the role of Stringer Bell has boosted my self-confidence enormously and encouraged me to take on more demanding roles.”
In the course of his career he has worked with such top-class directors as Danny Boyle, Kenneth Branagh and Guillermo del Toro. A highlight in his filmography: the role as Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). In “Mandela – The Long Road to Freedom” (2014) by Justin Chadwick, Elba embodied the South African national hero. It is thanks to him that the protagonist has the necessary stature and charisma. He plays powerful, witty and imaginative – Mandela stands as a source of freedom, which becomes a symbol of the struggle against the oppression of blacks.
Idris Elba also caused a sensation as a brutal rebel leader in the award-winning child soldier film “Beasts of No Nation” (2015), which was mainly shown on the Netflix streaming service. Many had given him Oscar opportunities, but the actor wasn’t even nominated.
Idris Elba has now established a firm foothold in Hollywood, even if it is not yet the big roles for which he has been cast. But films like “Thor – The Dark Kingdom” (2013), “Avengers 2: Age of Ultron” (2015) or “Star Trek: Beyond” (2016) have increased their market value significantly.
Queen Elizabeth II has already paid tribute to the actor for his services to the film. She accepted him into the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in early 2016.
Elba has been married for the third time since 2019 and has two children.
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