Idris Elba young
Birth Date
September 6, 1972
Nationality
United Kingdom
Sun Sign
Virgo
Natural hair color
Black
Eye color
Dark brown
Height
6 ft 3 in | 190 cm
Weight
86 kg | 190 lbs
Chest
43 in | 109 cm
Shoe size
10 US | 43.5 EU
Waist
34 in | 86 cm
Early acting career First film Breakthrough
Idrissa Akuna Elba was born in Hackney, London, England, on September 6, 1972, is an English actor and musician.
Young Idris Elba first started acting during his years at school in Canning Town, in school theater productions.
He left school in 1988 to join the National Youth Music Theatre.
He got his television debut in British series in 1994:
2point4 Children in episode "Fortuosity" in role as Parachute Instructor
Space Precinct in episode "Double Duty" in role as Pizza Delivery Man
He made his big screen debut in French comedy film Belle maman (1999) in role as Grégoire, opposite Catherine Deneuve.
Elba's breakthrough performance came as Russell "Stringer" Bell in HBO series The Wire (2002-2004).
He recorded the four-song EP Big Man (2006) for Hevlar Records.
New Movies
The Suicide Squad (2021) superhero in role as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger, opposite Margot Robbie and Viola Davis
Three Thousand Years of Longing (2020) drama fantasy romance, directed by George Miller
Concrete Cowboys (2020) drama in role as Harp, with Jharrel Jerome and Caleb McLaughlin
Hobbs & Shaw (2019) action in role as Brixton Lore, opposite Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham
Cats (2019) musical fantasy in role as Macavity, directed by Tom Hooper
Best Movies
He portrayed Heimdall in Marvel Cinematic Universe:
Thor (2011)
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role as Nelson Mandela in biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013).
He won a BET Award for Best Actor for his role as Captain William Roque in action comedy movie The Losers (2010).
He was nominated for a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role as Commandant in war drama movie Beasts of No Nation (2015).
The Dark Tower (2017) dark science fantasy western action opposite Matthew McConaughey
The Gunman (2015) action thriller with Sean Penn and Javier Bardem
Star Trek Beyond (2016) space opera in role as Krall
Daddy's Little Girls (2007) romantic comedy drama opposite Gabrielle Union
The Reaping (2007) psychological horror thriller with Hilary Swank
American Gangster (2007) biographical crime with Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington and Josh Brolin
RocknRolla (2008) crime comedy directed by Guy Ritchie
Obsessed (2009) thriller with Beyoncé Knowles
Takers (2010) action crime thriller with Chris Brown and Paul Walker
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011) superhero opposite Nicolas Cage
Prometheus (2012) science fiction directed by Ridley Scott
Pacific Rim (2013) science fiction monster directed by Guillermo del Toro
No Good Deed (2014) thriller with Taraji P. Henson and Leslie Bibb
Molly's Game (2017) crime drama opposite Jessica Chastain and Michael Cera
The Mountain Between Us (2017) drama opposite Kate Winslet
TV Shows
He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and he was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role as Detective John Luther in the British crime drama television series Luther (2010–2018).
He was nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor for his role as Augustin Muganza in television historical drama film Sometimes in April (2005).
He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Lenny in television dramedy The Big C (2010).
The Bill (1994, 1995) British police procedural television series in roles as Earl Lee, Alex Mason
The Governor (1996) drama series in role as Officer Chiswick
The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (1996) crime drama series in role as Raffy, Pest Controller
Insiders (1997) drama series in role as Robinson Bennett
Family Affairs (1997) British soap opera in role as Tim Webster
Ultraviolet (1998) British television series in role as Vaughan Rice
Dangerfield (1999) medical drama series in role as Matt Gregory
He played Russell "Stringer" Bell in HBO series The Wire (2002-2004).
The Office (2009) NBC sitcom in role as Charles Miner
Guerrilla (2017) drama miniseries in role as Kentoro "Kent" Abbasi
Turn Up Charlie (2019) Netflix comedy series in role as Charlie Ayo
In the Long Run (2018-2019) Sky One sitcom in role as Walter
He hosted Saturday Night Live in 2019.
Facts
Attended school in Canning Town.
He is also a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis.
He voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia (2016), Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (2016) and Fluke in Finding Dory (2016).
Fan of Lady Gaga.
He made his directorial debut with British crime drama film Yardie (2018).
He suffers from claustrophobia.
Featured in music videos for:
Giggs "Hustle On" (2012)
Mumford and Sons "Lover of the Light" (2012)
Macklemore "Dance Off" (2016)
Wiley, Sean Paul, & Stefflon Don "Boasty" (2019)
Stormzy "Vossi Bop" (2019)
He released Extended plays:
2006: Big Man
2009: Kings Among Kings
2010: High Class Problems Vol. 1
2014: Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela
He released album Murdah Loves John (The John Luther Character Album) in 2015.
He launched his record label "7Wallace Music" in 2018.
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2016.
Fan of Arsenal F.C.
Friends with Jamie Foxx.
Lives in New York City.
Relationships
Has been in relationship with Naiyana Garth (2013-2016), they have one son.
He was married to:
Hanne "Kim" Nørgaard (1999-2003), they have one daughter
Sonya Nicole Hamlin (2006-2006)
He married Sabrina Dhowre in 2019.
Quotes
The only thing I change mainly is my sneakers. I love sneakers. But everything's sort of black or jeans. Jeans, always.
Bond? It is a bit like saying, 'Do you want to play Superman?' Anyone would dream of it. It's one of the most coveted roles in film. I'd be honoured. But I don't know if it will actually happen. I'm just happy with the idea of being associated with it. It's nice there's a lot of good will.
In 'Pacific Rim' I had to have a haircut I wouldn't usually rock. However, the moustache I had in the film - that might have to come out again. It was a good moustache. Good times.
As much as it's nice to step into that massive world of Hollywood and be a big, famous actor, I prefer the career of actors that have really chosen smartly and done really amazing performances. Maybe they're not as known, but their careers are a bit more interesting.
I was cast in 'Thor' and I'm cast as a Nordic god. If you know anything about the Nords, they don't look like me but there you go. I think that's a sign of the times for the future. I think we will see multi-level casting. I think we will see that, and I think that's good.
I think there's a tendency for actors like myself, and I don't mean to generalize myself, but I've played 'men's men,' if you will, characters that are simmering rage and calculated. There's a trend not to play anything that is opposed to that.
