Posted by | Cyrena Rose
In a recent Playboy interview, British-born actor Idris Elba opened-up (again) answering 20 questions for Rob Tannenbaum.
There are several points of that I found interesting; specifically the fact that Idris has never watched the show that (in my eyes) launched his career and made fans want more. The show that ended in March 2008 but fans are still talking about. Yes, RC fans he has not seen The Wire!
“…I’ve never watched The Wire,” Elba admitted. “I’ve seen a full episode at screenings but never at home. I’ve never watched an entire season. I’ve not seen any episode of season two, most of season three and none of seasons four and five. I’m supercritical of my own work. As an actor, if you’re being told how wonderful you are, what do you need to strive for? I don’t know if I’m good just because some critic says I am in the press.”
Below are highlights of Idris’ 20Q interview in addition to some of his scenes from The Wire (he should really watch the show, it’s everything):
PLAYBOY: You’ve often referred to yourself as an East London boy. What does that mean in terms of your personality?
ELBA: In the circumference of London, if you come from the east, people know you’re a cheeky chappy. You’ve got a bit of a mouth, a gift of the gab, you’re wheeling and dealing. My personality is formed by that. East Londoners speak cockney—if you’re born within a three-mile radius of the Bow Bells, then you’re cockney. That’s typically what my accent is, but it depends on who I’m talking to. Today I did a BET show and was like, “Yo, man, what up? How you feelin’, bro?” I’m a bit of a parrot.
PLAYBOY: When you were spending time in London clubs, did you take ecstasy?
ELBA: Drug culture is a big part of the house music scene that I deejay now. Loads of DJs get smashed. But then you end up playing shitty music. At first I bypassed drugs. I didn’t start smoking weed until later in life. Am I allowed to say that? I mean, I’m not gonna lie—I’ve tried everything, just between you, me and the people who read this magazine. I’ve tried it all. I played one of the biggest drug dealers in the world on TV, so you think I’d know what I was talking about.
PLAYBOY: You’re also a rapper. This lyric from “Sex in Your Dreams” is particularly interesting: “Bone-hard diamond cutter, dick thick like homemade butter.”
ELBA: You have been listening. [laughs]
PLAYBOY: “Show you parts of your pussy that you ain’t discovered.” Has your mom heard the song?
ELBA: When it’s read back to me like that, I’m mortified that such trife could come out of my mind. [laughs] Let me tell you, some fans hate it, some love it, some can’t stand the idea that I’ve got the audacity to rap. But under the guise of being a rapper, I can say what the fuck I want, and until some journalist reads it back to me, I’m getting away scot-free. Maybe I’ll go on Letterman tonight, saying, “Hey, my dick’s as thick as butter.”
PLAYBOY: At the risk of seeming obsessed with your song, would a guy who’s truly shy sing about having a thick dick?
ELBA: Those are the words of a shy man putting on a rap persona. Did you see the video for that song? No, because there isn’t one. I’m really fucking serious; I’m a shy man. I’m great at hiding in characters. When I deejay, I’m great at standing behind the turntables. If I go to a club, I’m awkward. Should I stand there? Should I dance? You’re not going to see me dance. I end up standing by the DJ.
PLAYBOY: When you took the role of Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, you said it was important to figure out what kind of man he was. So who was he?
ELBA: This is one of the most courageous and selfless men you’re ever going to meet. If I said to you, “Listen, there’s a whole generation of people who are suffering, and if you give up 27 years of your life and spend that time in prison, you could help them,” the likelihood is you’d say, “No, I’m all right. I’m kind of comfortable here.” What I found out from him is, he was that guy. “Hey, ask the next guy. I’m good.” The film looks at his younger life, and it’s interesting because the audience knows where he’s going to end up. You don’t want the film to be shoveling shit down your throat about Mandela, good or bad things. It’s not propaganda.
PLAYBOY: Has stardom changed your relationships with women?
ELBA: It happens to me all the time, still. I’ll sit in a pub and nobody will recognize me. I might see an attractive woman, but she doesn’t recognize me, so I’m not getting any love. Then one person goes, “Oh, it’s you,” and suddenly they all overhear and start asking questions. It’s bullshit. I’ve been in and out of relationships, I’ve been married, and it’s hard to keep a relationship when you’re an actor. A girl I knew said to me, “My dad told me, ‘Never date an actor or a DJ.’” It was over, right there on the spot. I was fucked.
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