Idris Elba
Birth Name:
Idrissa Akuna Elba
Birth Place:
Hackney, London, England, United Kingdom
Profession
Actor, Producer, Soundtrack, Director, Writer, Camera department
Fast Facts
- Became an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2016
- Discussed diversity in film and television to the UK Parliament in 2016
- Received the first Breakthrough in Film Award from The Hollywood Reporter in 2013
- Is the child of a Ghanaian mother and a Sierra Leonean Creole father
- Encouraged to pursue an acting career by his high school drama teacher
- Was in the training program at the National Youth Music Theater in London
- Worked with his father in a car factory before becoming involved in music
- Quote: "I don't necessarily want to be famous․ I want to be known for great work․ I want to be known to surprise audiences․ That, to me, is what is really fulfilling․"
- Quote: "[Responding to a question during a "Good Morning America" interview about becoming the next James Bond] "If I'm really honest, I think I'm too old for that․ Running around and cars and ladies and martinis․""
- Has performed as an artist and DJ under the moniker Driis
- Produced and starred in the music video "Lover of the Light․"
- Trained to be a semi-professional kickboxer in 2016
Awards
- 2005Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2005Vision Award - Best Dramatic Performance:Nominated
- 2006Black Reel - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2006Black Reel - Best Actor - Television:Nominated
- 2006Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:Nominated
- 2006Vision Award - Best Dramatic Performance:Nominated
- 2007BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2008Actor - Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2008BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2009BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2010BET Award - Best Actor:Winner
- 2010Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2010Satellite Award - Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2011BET Award - Best Actor:Winner
- 2011Dagger - Best Leading Actor:Winner
- 2011Gold Derby TV Award - TV Movie/Mini Lead Actor:Nominated
- 2011Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2011IGN Award - Best TV Hero:Nominated
- 2011Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:Winner
- 2011Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2011INOCA TV - Best Performance in a Miniseries or TV Movie:Nominated
- 2011Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie:Nominated
- 2011Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2011Satellite Award - Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2011Individual Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2012ACCA TV - Best Actor (TV Movie or Mini-Series):Nominated
- 2012BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2012Black Reel - Outstanding Television or Mini-Series Performance, Male:Winner
- 2012Critics' Choice TV Award - Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries:Nominated
- 2012Gold Derby TV Award - TV Movie/Mini Lead Actor:Nominated
- 2012Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:Winner
- 2012Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:Nominated
- 2012Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie:Nominated
- 2012Satellite Award - Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2013Capri Actor AwardWinner
- 2013Dagger - Best Leading Actor:Nominated
- 2013WFCC Award - Best Male Images in a Movie:Nominated
- 2014Hollywood Award - Artist of the Year:Nominated
- 2014Hollywood Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2014BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2014Black Reel - Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2014Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2014Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama:Nominated
- 2014Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:Winner
- 2014Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2014Jupiter Award - Best International Actor:Nominated
- 2014National Television Award - Radio Times - TV Detective:Nominated
- 2014Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie:Nominated
- 2014RTS Television Award - Actor - Male:Winner
- 2014Screen Nation Film and Television Award - Male Performance in TV:Winner
- 2015AFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2015ACCA - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Nominated
- 2015BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2015Capri Supporting Actor AwardWinner
- 2015DFWFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2015Ghana Movie Award - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Winner
- 2015Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2015IFJA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2015ICP Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2015SLFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2015WAFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Winner
- 2016Actor - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:Winner
- 2016Actor - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:Winner
- 2016Actor - Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2016BAFTA TV Award - Best Leading Actor:Nominated
- 2016BAFTA Film Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2016BET Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2016Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture:Winner
- 2016Black Reel - Outstanding Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2016Chlotrudis Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2016Critics' Choice TV Award - Best Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series:Winner
- 2016DFCS Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2016Evening Standard British Film Award - Best Actor:Winner
- 2016Independent Spirit Award - Best Feature:Nominated
- 2016Independent Spirit Award - Best Supporting Male:Winner
- 2016Gold Derby Film Award - Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2016Gold Derby TV Award - TV Movie/Mini Lead Actor:Nominated
- 2016Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television:Nominated
- 2016Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2016Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2016Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:Nominated
- 2016INOCA - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2016ALFS Award - British/Irish Actor of the Year:Nominated
- 2016NTFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Winner
- 2016Odyssey Award - Best Support Actor:Nominated
- 2016OFTA Television Award - Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Limited Series:Nominated
- 2016Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie:Nominated
- 2016Screen Nation Film and Television Award - Favourite International Film:Winner
- 2017BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film:Nominated
- 2017BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film:Nominated
- 2017BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film:Nominated
- 2017BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award - Best Male Vocal Performance in a Feature Film in a Supporting Role:Nominated
- 2017Black Reel - Outstanding Voice Performance:Nominated
- 2017Black Reel - Outstanding Voice Performance:Nominated
- 2017Black Reel - Outstanding Voice Performance:Winner
- 2017Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series:Nominated
- 2017Black Reel - Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series:Nominated
- 2017Image Award - Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film):Winner
- 2017Image Award - Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film):Nominated
- 2017Blimp Award - Favorite Villain:Nominated
- 2017LAOFCS Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2017NTFCA Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2018C.I.C.A.E. Award - Panorama:Nominated
- 2018Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Actor, Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2018Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special:Winner
- 2018Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2018Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:Winner
- 2018Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema - Dramatic:Nominated
- 2019Black Reel - Outstanding Emerging Director:Nominated
- 2019Black Reel - Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2019Black Reel - Outstanding Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series:Nominated
- 2019Black Reel - Outstanding Actor, Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2019National Film Award - Best Drama:Winner
- 2020Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special:Nominated
- 2020National Film Award - Outstanding Performance:Nominated
- 2020Shorty Award - Best Gif:Nominated
- 2021Tribute AwardWinner
- 2021Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2022Saturn Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2022AACTA Award - Best Lead Actor in Film:Nominated
- 2022AFCA Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2022Black Reel - Outstanding Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 2022C&I Award - Best Actor:Nominated
- 2022CCA Super Award - Best Actor in a Superhero Movie:Nominated
- 2022CCA Super Award - Best Villain in a Movie:Nominated
- 2022Image Award - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2022SFCS Award - Best Villain:Nominated
- 2023Black Reel - Outstanding Voice Performance:Nominated
- 2024Black Reel - Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama Series:Winner
- 2024CCA Super Award - Best Actor in an Action Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie:Winner
- 2024Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2024OFTA Television Award - Best Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2024Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:Nominated
- 2025AACTA International Award - Best Actor in a Series:Nominated
- 2025Movies for Grownups Award - Best Actor - Television:Nominated
- 2025Canadian Screen Award - Best History Documentary Program or Series:Winner
- 2025Independent Spirit Award - Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series:Nominated
- 2025OFTA Television Award - Best Narration:Nominated
- 2025Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Narrator:Nominated
- 2026Black Reel - Outstanding Voice Performance:Nominated
- 2026CCA Super Award - Best Actor in an Action Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie:Nominated
- 2026Image Award - Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2026Image Award - Outstanding Actor in a Limited Television (Series, Special, or Movie):Nominated
- 2026National Film Award - Outstanding Performance:Nominated
- 2026National Film Award - Best Actor in a TV Series:Winner
- 2026Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Movie:Nominated