Idris Elba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Idris Elba
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Elba in 2025
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Idrissa Akuna Elba
6 September 1972 Hackney, London, England
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Filmography |
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| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
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Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE is a famous English actor and musician. He is known for his powerful roles in movies and television shows. He has won a Golden Globe Award and has been nominated for many other awards. In 2016, Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. His movies have earned over $9.8 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-earning actors ever.
Elba became well-known for playing Stringer Bell in the TV series The Wire and the detective John Luther in the series Luther. For his role in Luther, he won a Golden Globe Award. He also appeared in the American comedy series The Office.
In movies, Elba has played many different characters. He played Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. He also appeared in action movies like Pacific Rim and Hobbs & Shaw. Many people know him as the character Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, starting with Thor. He also played Bloodsport in the DC Extended Universe movie The Suicide Squad.
Elba is also a talented voice actor. He was the voice of Chief Bogo in Zootopia, Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, and Fluke in Finding Dory. He is also the voice of Knuckles the Echidna in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies and TV series. Besides acting, Elba is a DJ who performs under the name DJ Big Driis or Idris.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Idrissa Akuna Elba was born on September 6, 1972, in London, England. His father, Winston, was from Sierra Leone, and his mother, Eve, was from Ghana. They moved to London, where Idris grew up. He shortened his name from Idrissa to Idris at school. This is where he first got interested in acting.
He got his first big opportunity after seeing an ad for a play in The Stage magazine. He auditioned for the play and met his first agent. In 1986, he started helping his uncle's wedding DJ business. A year later, he started his own DJ company with friends.
Elba attended the National Youth Music Theatre with help from a grant from The Prince's Trust. To support himself, he worked odd jobs, including at a Ford car factory. He also worked as a DJ in nightclubs, using the nickname "Big Driis." In his early twenties, he began auditioning for TV roles.
Career as an Actor
Television Roles
Elba's first acting jobs were in the 1990s on British TV shows like Bramwell, The Bill, and Family Affairs. He later moved to New York City to find more opportunities.
His big break in America came in 2002 when he was cast as the smart and ambitious character Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire. This role made him famous in the United States.
In 2010, he began starring in the British crime drama Luther. He played John Luther, a brilliant but troubled detective. This role won him a Golden Globe Award. He also had a memorable role as Charles Miner in the American version of The Office.
Movie Stardom
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Elba has starred in many successful movies. In 2007, he was in American Gangster. He later starred in thrillers like Obsessed opposite Beyoncé.
He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2011 as Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard's Bifrost Bridge, in the movie Thor. He played this role in several other Marvel films, including Avengers: Age of Ultron.
In 2013, he portrayed the famous South African leader Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. To prepare, he even spent a night alone in a cell on Robben Island, where Mandela was once held. His performance was highly praised.
He has also starred in science fiction films like Prometheus and Pacific Rim. In 2015, he received awards for his role as a powerful leader in the film Beasts of No Nation.
Voice Acting and Recent Work
Elba's deep voice is perfect for animated characters. In 2016, he voiced three different animals in major films:
- Chief Bogo, the tough buffalo police chief in Disney's Zootopia.
- Shere Khan, the scary tiger in Disney's live-action The Jungle Book.
- Fluke, a lazy sea lion in Pixar's Finding Dory.
He later became the voice of Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the TV series Knuckles. In 2021, he played the mercenary Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad. He also provided his voice and likeness for the character Solomon Reed in the video game expansion Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.
Music and Other Projects
A Career in Music
Besides acting, Elba has a passion for music. He has been a DJ since he was a teenager and still performs at major events, like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. He has released his own music, including several EPs (short albums).
He has worked with many famous musicians. He was on the intro to Jay-Z's album American Gangster and has collaborated with artists like Taylor Swift, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and Paul McCartney. In 2019, he was featured on the hit song "Boasty" with Wiley, Stefflon Don, and Sean Paul.
In 2018, he started his own record label called 7Wallace Music. He continues to release new music and DJ sets.
Production Company
Elba has a production company called Green Door Pictures. He signed a deal with Apple to create new shows and movies. He is also developing an animated science-fiction series with his wife, Sabrina. In 2024, he received approval to build a film studio in Zanzibar, Tanzania, to help grow the film industry in Africa.
Personal Life and Activism
Family and Interests
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Idris Elba has been married three times. He has a daughter and a son from previous relationships. In 2019, he married Canadian model Sabrina Dhowre.
Elba is a big fan of the Arsenal Football Club. In 2015, he broke a British land speed record in a car for a TV show. He is also a skilled kickboxer and even won a professional fight in 2016.
Working for a Better World
Elba uses his fame to help others. He has worked with the British government to fight the Ebola virus in West Africa. He is also a strong voice against knife crime in the United Kingdom. He started the Elba Hope Foundation and works with leaders to find solutions to keep young people safe.
He has also spoken to the UK Parliament about the need for more diversity in movies and television. He wants to see people of all races, genders, and backgrounds represented on screen. In 2016, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to acting.
See also
In Spanish: Idris Elba para niños
