Six Definitive Films: The ultimate beginner’s guide to Idris Elba
Idris Elba is among the most recognisable stars in the film industry, known for his iconic work in the domains of television and film. Selected by TIME Magazine as one of the most influential people in the world in 2016, Elba has continued to deliver stellar performances in a wide variety of cinematic productions.
Born in London in 1972, Elba had multiple interests during the most formative years of his life. He started a DJ company with his friends when he was young and eventually dropped out of school after winning a National Youth Music Theatre grant. Although he had to do a lot of odd-jobs to support himself, Elba maintained the determination to make it as an actor.
Elba is primarily known for his work on acclaimed TV shows such as The Wire and Luther. However, in recent years, he has also collaborated with extremely talented filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro and George Miller. Elba’s latest film – Three Thousand Years of Longing – hit theatres earlier this year.
Idris Elba’s six definitive films:
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (Justin Chadwick, 2013)
It is always a difficult task to fill the shoes of a revolutionary historical character but Elba rose to the occasion in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. His portrayal of the eponymous South African leader showed the world what he is capable of.
Elba revealed that he was aware of Mandela’s struggle since he was a child: “It was compulsory that I knew that there was a man that’s sitting in jail that’s been there forever because he fought against apartheid. My dad flew the flag for Nelson Mandela and any freedom fighter in South Africa. I used to listen to World Service News just to understand the situation.”
Pacific Rim (Guillermo del Toro, 2013)
A big-budget sci-fi commercial hit by Guillermo del Toro, Pacific Rim imagines a version of the future where the Earth is engaged in war with sea monsters from another dimension. Elba is brilliant as Marshal Stacker Pentecost, an inspirational war hero who plays a vital part.
Elba said: “From Guillermo I learnt how to make a big film. In television you come in, there are two cameras maybe, you set up a nice wide shot. In Luther we spend time making sure a shot is a Luther shot. But with Guillermo, when he stepped on the set and I learnt what it is to do big ‘pushes’ as you say your line, and ‘sweeps’ [with the camera]. It is quite impressive.”
Beasts of No Nation (Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2015)
One of the stand-out projects of Elba’s extensive and illustrious acting career, Beasts of No Nation explores humanity’s relationship with war and violence. It features Elba as a terrifying warlord who transforms children into guerrilla soldiers during a civil war.
“There’s a lot of real estate in the film to hate somebody,” the actor admitted. “But anyone can play moustache-twiddling evil, you know? It’s tougher to play someone like this as a human being. Because then you can’t just dismiss that person. You have to confront him.”
Molly’s Game (Aaron Sorkin, 2017)
An interesting directorial debut by one of the most talented screenwriters in Hollywood, Molly’s Game is an adaptation of Molly Bloom’s (played by Jessica Chastain) memoirs. It follows her links to the criminal underworld, with Elba starring as her lawyer.
While talking about his interest in the project, Elba explained: “I was attracted to this relationship with his daughter, and that his relationship with his ex-wife is troublesome, and you can see has a real sort of struggle with his parenting.”
Concrete Cowboy (Ricky Staub, 2020)
A gem that flew under the radar, Concrete Cowboy tells the story of a troubled young boy who is sent to live with his estranged father. Staub’s project is actually based on actual Philadelphian subculture of urban horse-riding.
“I personally feel there is not enough stories about fatherhood on film,” Elba commented. “And when it comes to black men, as far as fathers, it’s just always of one particular lens or one particular slant. We wanted to shift that, and I feel that we did that – or hope that the audience kind of resonates with it.”
Three Thousand Years of Longing (George Miller, 2022)
Idris Elba’s latest project is an unexpectedly magical fantasy film by George Miller where he stars as an ancient djinn who is accidentally released by a lonely literary scholar (played by Tilda Swinton). Elba is the real star of the film who takes us through different chapters in the history of the world.
Elba revealed: “George fell in love with this short novella two decades ago. I can say with confidence that story resonated with him. He wanted to honour it, but also expand on it and give his George Miller magic to it. I actually didn’t read the novella — I didn’t want to be tainted or influenced by it.”
