Africa Top Success Ils font l'Afrique
A few days after the projection in preview of the movie « Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom », Africa Top Success, is back on the career of the actor Idris Elba who got the heavy responsibility to embody the first Black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. The British of African origin, unknown of the public for a long time, has quickly become famous and could be the first Black to embody the emblematic James Bond.
Born on 6th September 1972 in London from a Sierra Leonean father and of a Ghanaian mother, Idris Elba started his movie actor career in the British soap opera, Family Affairs, then in the successful television series, Ultraviolet.
The role of the drug lord and the businessman played in the American series of HBO, The Wire revealed the actor’s immense talent that propelled him in the center stage. He confirmed his rank with the embodiment of Super Flic in the series, Luther of which third season was launched in December 2013.
In an interview granted to the American site, Collider, Idris Elba explained the character that he embodied in the series. “We did not want Luther to be more and more depressed, to take drugs and to commit suicide (…) The wicked in Luther are always horrible and very colorful. Those in season 3 are at higher level, mainly in the blackness“, he specified.
The British actor is at present riding high with the movie “Mandela: A long Walk to Freedom” broadcasted on 3rd November 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The full-length film of 152 minutes traces back Nelson Mandela’s life, fighter for the rights of the Blacks in South Africa. Idris Elba, the main actor of the movie that touched the family of Mandela, was delighted for satisfaction of the first Black president of South Africa after having watched the movie.
“He was very lively; he looked at the pictures in the film. He came across a picture of Madiba in the movie; he looked at me and asked: “is it me?” I answered: “in your opinion, Madiba, do you think it is you?” He smiled. I told him: “it is Idris Elba after five hours and a half of make-up”. He was very amused, and when I told that to Idris, he told me: “it is all that I need to hear”, reported the director, Anant Singh during the presentation of the first pictures of the movie to Mandela.
There have been persistent rumors announcing Idris Elba in the role of James Bond since the leaving of Daniel Craig. The declarations in October 2012 by the actress, Naomi Harris, seemed to confirm the rumors. “I made a movie with Idris and he told me that he met Barbara Broccoli (the producer of 007) and it seemed that there was a possibility so that the next James Bond to be a Black. If it was the case, I would vote for Idris”, she declared.
The concerned did not confirm the facts even if he would have well liked playing this prestigious role. “It is a very kind rumor because it is a mythical role. I imagine some necessary skills to play Bond. My two favorite Bonds are Sean Connery and Daniel Craig but I cannot compare myself to them. It would be of course, an honor for me to play this character. But it is an enormous rumor”, specified Idris Elba.
Filmography:
Series:
1994 : 2point4 Children : (s. 4, e. 3)
1994 : Space Precinct : (s. 1, e. 4)
1995 : Absolutely Fabulous : Hilton (s. 3, e. 3)
1997 : Silent Witness : Charlie (s. 2, e. 1 et 2)
1998 : Family Affairs : (s. 1, e. 147 et 150)
1998 : Ultraviolet : Vaughan Rice
1998 : Dangerfield – Saison 6, episodes 1 à 12 : Matt Gregory (s. 6, e. 1 to 12)
2001 : London’s Burning – Saison 13, episodes 9 & 10 : Caporal Frost (s. 13, e. 9 &10)
2001 : Law & Order : Lonnie Liston (s. 12, e.09)
2002 : The Inspector Lynley Mysteries : Robert Gabriel (s. 1, e.03)
2002-2004 : The Wire : Russell « Stringer » Bell (s. 1, 2 & 3)
2002 : Hack : Mac Boone (s. 1, e.04)
2003 : Soul Food : Smitty (s. 4, e.08)
2003 : CSI: Miami : Angelo Sedaris (s. 2, e.05)
2005 : Girlfriends : (s. 5, e.13)
2005 : Sometimes in april (TV film) by Raoul Peck : Augustin Muganza
2005 : Hodge (s. 1, e. 8)
2005 : World to Trouble (TV film) by Stephen Hopkins
2006 : All in the Game (TV film) by Jim O’Hanlon : Paul
2009 : The Office (TV series) : Charles Miner
2010-2013 : Luther (TV series) : John Luther
2010 : The Big C (TV series) : Lenny
Movies:
1999 : Belle Maman de Gabriel Aghion : Grégoire
2001 : Buffalo Soldiers by Gregor Jordan : Kimborough
2003 : One Love by Rick Elgood & Don Letts : Aaron
2005 : The Gospel by Rob Hardy
2007 : The Reaping by Stephen Hopkins : Ben
2007 : 28 Weeks Later by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo : le Général Stone
2007 : American Gangster by Ridley Scott : Tango
2007 : This Christmas by Preston A. Whitmore II : Quentin Whitfield Jr.
2008 : Prom Night by Nelson McCormick : Détective Winn
2008 : RocknRolla by Guy Ritchie : Mumbles
2008 : The Human Contract by Jada Pinkett Smith : Larry
2009 : The Unborn by David S. Goyer : Arthur Wyndham
2009 : Obsessed by Steve Shill : Derek Charles
2010 : Takers by John Lussenhop
2010 : The Losers : Roque
2011 : Thor by Kenneth Branagh : Heimdall
2012 : Ghost Rider 2 : (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) by Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor : Moreau
2012 : Prometheus by Ridley Scott : Capitaine Janek
2013 : Pacific Rim by Guillermo del Toro : Stacker Pentecost
2013 : Thor : The Dark World by Alan Taylor : Heimdall
Next:
2013 : Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom by Justin Chadwick : Nelson Mandela
2014 : The Gunman by Pierre Morel : Dupond
Distinctions:
BET Award 2010 : The best actor for The Losers2
NAACP Image Awards 2011 : The best actor of TV film, broadcast mini-series or dramatic special program for Luther
BET Awards 2011 : The best actor for Takers & Luther
Golden Globes 2012 : The best actor in mini-series or in TV film in Luther
