Omar Elba Biography

Fast Facts

• Is an alumnus of the performing-arts summer camp Stagedoor Manor
• Made his film debut acting alongside Tom Hanks in 2016's A Hologram for the King
• Prepared for his role in A Hologram for the King, in which he plays an Arab, by traveling to Saudi Arabia, recording people to get a handle on how they talked, and working with a dialect coach
• Stated that he and Tom Hanks did their swimming scenes in A Hologram for the King without the use of doubles as the filmmakers discovered both were good swimmers
• For the short film Tim, he gained 40 lbs
• to play the lead, then dropped 40 lbs
• and packed on 15 lbs
• of muscle to play Tim's Ego