Posted by | Cyrena Rose
Golden Globe-winning actor Idris Elba has been working non-stop! So thankfully, on his one-day off, he took the time to sit and chat with Vulture about his whirlwind life. While breaking from shooting the thriller No Good Deed and just before jet-setting to Africa to start filming Long Walk to Freedom he gave the interview. Enjoy the highlights of what Idris had to say:
Why is his home a suitcase: “No fixed abode, because there’s no point,” Elba says. “I’m a traveling circus for a while. It feels kind of weird. Like, if I wanted to go home, there isn’t anywhere to go. Just a hotel.” All of his things are in storage, save for a suitcase filled with D.J. equipment and a limited wardrobe of road-friendly darks. “I’ve worn this outfit a million times,” he says of the black shirt, gray jeans, and newsboy cap he has on.
How he feels about playing Nelson Mandela: “It’s one of my biggest opportunities, and I can’t think about preparation or where my head is at. I just get this sinking feeling as soon as I open my mouth,” he says. “I wish I wasn’t working directly up to it.”
What is his response to roles for black actors: “Next question,” he says when I raise the subject. “I’m so bored of answering that…are there differences between black actors’ opportunities and white actors’ opportunities? Yes, there are. It’s been said. I’d rather a young black actor read about success as opposed to how tough it was. I get these roles because I can act and that’s it. Hopefully that’s it. The less I talk about being black, the better.”
Why he admires The Rock: “I love kids and kids like me, so I’d like to do something a bit silly,” he says. “I admire Dwayne Johnson, the Rock, and his fearlessness in taking roles like that even though he’s known for being a hard man. That shows versatility. Plus those movies are a lot of fun, and my daughter likes them.”
How does he feel about being a household name: “My publicist says a lot of the time people don’t get it. They’re like, ‘Ee-dris Elba?’ And she’s like, ‘The guy from The Wire.’ I don’t see myself as famous. I’m more, ‘What’s his name again?’ And I love that.”
Get your summer fill of one of Hollywood’s next leading men when he co-stars in iconic director Ridley Scott’s long-awaited latest, Prometheus, which releases June 8.
Idris Elba has a mesmerizing effect on his fans, tell us what you think of his fast-paced life! To read the article in its entirety, click here!
