On The Record: Idris Elba

British actor Idris Elba made his initial mark playing gangster Stringer Bell in “The Wire”, acclaimed as one of the best police shows America has ever produced. Elba loved portraying the cold-blooded character, but was glad to see him come to a bad end.

Idris was born in East London to African parents. His father was from Sierra Leone and his mother from Ghana. At the age of 14, he worked with his uncle, a DJ who played music at Sierra Leonean weddings and christenings. By 15, he was a DJ in his own right. In his early twenties he started trying out for parts on British television. After playing several supporting characters, he got a steady part on “Family Affairs” in 1997.

Idris travelled to New York seeking better roles in America. He worked as a DJ while he looked for work as an actor. These were difficult times. After his marriage fell apart, He found himself living in his Chevy Astro van for eight weeks. He got some small parts and in 2001 even played Achilles in Shakespeare’s “Troilus & Cressida”. His fortunes turned in 2002 when he got the Stringer Bell role in “The Wire”.

Since the “The Wire” Elba has appeared in several films, like “Daddy’s Little Girls” (2007) with Gabrielle Union, “American Gangster” (2007), “RocknRolla” (2008) and “Obsessed” (2009) with Beyonce. In 2009 he appeared in six episodes of “The Office”, a British television comedy made American by NBC – which required him to speak with an American accent. Elba’s American accent is so good that people are surprised when they find out he is British.

Idris starred or co-starred in a variety of movies, i.e., "This Christmas", "The Gospel", "The Reaping", and "28 Days".
Elba spend most of his time in london, but has a house in Atlanta to be near his daughter Isan, born in 2002 to his now ex-wife.

In August 2011, Elba appeared in a one off Channel 4 documentary called "How Hip-Hop Changed the World", in which he reveals the defining moments in street music and culture over the last 35 years, featuring rare archive material, seminal music videos and insight from hip hop stars. The show was first aired on 12 August 2011

On the Record:

In February 2011, Elba caused controversy when he criticised Tyler Perry, the actor, writer and director behind the "Madea" franchise. Elba, who has previously starred in one of Perry's romantic comedies (the 2007 film Daddy's Little Girls), lamented the trend for cross-dressing caricatures of black characters – a phenomenon many would recognise from films such as the The Klumps and Big Momma's House series – describing it as "buffoonish". Elba maintains the view that change should occur in Hollywood to address the recent under-representation of black actors in Hollywood and the controversy it has caused. Elba said: "Imagine a film such as Inception with an entire cast of black people – do you think it would be successful?" Elba asks. "Would people watch it? But no one questions the fact that everyone's white. That's what we have to change."
Source: Wikipedia

Elba comments on the differences between himself and the character of Stringer Bell from "The Wire":

Stringer is very calculating and he has to be for so many reasons. He`ll calculates the next steps, shipments, inventory, pays workers..all that. But the wicked part is that he can plan murders because that`s a part of his business. I`ll tell you, if I, Idris, had to contract for murders as part of my job, I couldn`t do it because I have a heart. I have no stomach for ordering other people`s deaths. Stringer just gets in there, orders the deed and bam..that`s it..it`s done and he doesn`t think twice about it. There`s no way I could be that cold. I`m also a more lively kid out there, doing stuff and I can`t just do one thing forever. Stringer is committed to his job and business so much so he doesn`t have much of a personal life so he`s more one dimensional. As for me I have a child, a life, thirst for travel, you know I`m curious..whereas Stringer is more interested in being the best business person and his interests don`t go further than that.

Comments on why he uses his American accent when talking to fans of "The Wire".

"Wherever I go the real hard-core drug dealers come up to me and confide in me. I almost feel guilty turning around and saying: `Ello, mate. My name`s Idris and I`m from London.` I don`t want to break the illusion."

Comments on Jay-Z nd Stringer Bell

"There's a way Jay-Z looks you in your eye and doesn't look away that reminds me of Stringer ( Bell)."

Posted in: Beyonce,Daddy's Little Girls,Entertainment,Idris Elba,Jay-Z,Stringer Bell,The Office,The Wire