Idris Elba reveals plan to quit acting to pursue directing full-time
Idris Elba has revealed his plans to transition from being an actor to a director full-time.
Elba made his directorial debut in 2018 with Yardie, and he has now stepped behind the camera once again for the new short film, Dust to Dreams.
The Wire actor made the revelation about his career at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during a Q&A session on December 10th. Notably, he was in Saudi Arabia for Dust to Dreams.
“I’m hoping that my fan base as an actor isn’t mad at me,” the Luther star told the audience, according to the Daily Mail, before adding, “Eventually I want to transfer to be a director fully.”
Elba continued, “I’ve been acting for a long time. I love it still, but I think directing allows me to flex slightly different muscles and just be a part of the set in a different way. I really enjoy it.”
Following a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Dust to Dreams, which stars Seal, was released digitally on November 14th.
Although Elba wants to stop acting in the future, it was recently confirmed by Netflix that he is set to return for a second Luther movie, suggesting he won’t be quitting any time soon.
While at the Red Sea Film Festival, the English actor also opened up about his move into the political sphere with his campaigning to stop knife crime, admitting, “I’ve found myself feeling like an imposter in the political arena. I’ve found myself in arenas with heads of states and ministers talking about things that are way above my pay grade.”
He then ruled out a career in politics, stating, “I don’t want to be a politician, but I think there’s something quite appealing about educating myself to step into those arenas with more experience of how to make change.”
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.