What’s your best survival tip to avoid being eaten by a giant lion? TopTramp
Stay still, stay still, don’t move too much because they’ll find you, then radio for help. There are no real lions in my new film, Beast – it’s all CGI. They took lots of pictures of a real lion in its real environment to see what the light did and how the skin would move.
Did Nelson Mandela really think it was him in Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom because you were so convincing? LarboIrelandHa! No. There is a photo of me reproducing a famous photo of him. I look so much like him in the photo that someone thought it was the original photo. But he wasn’t Nelson Mandela, for sure.
What was the best crime you reconstructed when you were a Crimewatch actor? MrBlancmangeMy first job was for a government infomercial, trying to dissuade people from locking their bikes. He said, “Make sure you lock your bike or it will break.” I play a cyclist whose bike is cut off, running down the road, shouting, “That’s my bike!” Then, on Crimewatch, I played a group of criminals in all these reconstructions that were quite realistic and a bit gritty. There used to be this really prestigious and beautiful Mercedes dealership on London’s Mile End Road, not far from Bow Road tube station. I remember driving past and seeing all these beautiful cars. Then these 10 guys came in and stole them all. It was a robbery. So they did a reenactment and I played one of the drivers.
Watch the trailer for Beast.
When did you realize that you had become such an important, representative and historic part of The Wire? DeJongandtherestless When we shot the pilot, there was a sense that Stringer Bell was an important character. As an actor, you never know where these things are going to end up. But when the first season became popular in the States, I realized that this was a great show. When HBO decided they were going to continue my story (it was only supposed to be one season), I realized, wow, people love this show.
Would Luther have been more or less effective if he wore a leather jacket like Bergerac, a raincoat like Columbo, a smoking jacket like Poirot, a gadget coat like Inspector Gadget, or a felt hat like Miss Marple? OverLunder, TopTramp and Hooplehead1967, I think if he wore an Inspector Gadget coat it might have been less effective because everyone would have seen it coming! But Luther’s coat was certainly what he loved; it was his Superman suit. What about detectives and coats? It’s his uniform, his office. It’s where they keep all their notes, their guns, their evidence. You need a good coat if you’re going to be a detective, otherwise you’ll have stuff in your jeans and pockets. You don’t want this.
Any progress on the next Luther series or movie? Manaochi and Wazza10 We shot the movie. About a year ago, I talked to the press saying that one day we’re going to make a movie and we just finished it. So I’m really excited. We wish we’d made it bigger and submerged it to look like a movie, but we really tried to be careful not to alienate the audience that loved Luther as a TV show. How would the conversation go if Luther met Stringer Bell? sgbfabBoth are intellectuals so I think they would get along well. Luther could ask Stringer to help him. Stringer could say to Luther, “You can be very useful to me and I can be very useful to you.”
Idris Elba as Commander in Beasts of No Nation. Photograph: AP
You were stellar in Cary Joji Fukunaga’s Beasts of No Nation. Would you like to make more independent films? Manaochi
I love independent films because you have a lot more freedom; it’s a labor of love. Beasts of No Nation was a very difficult film to make, but yes, I want to do more indie films.
You’ve been pegged to be the next James Bond. But what would be your dream role? Mike Baker, Redcar and CarolinaBeachGirl61
Right now I’m getting ready to direct. The final role would be directing something I’m in, doing both sides of the fence. I love films that have a different artistic style, whether it’s an action film or an indie short. So that’s what I’m aiming for.
How did you meet Australian band Lime Cordiale for your recent collaborative EP? It seems like a small niche. Jeremybh I was in Australia making a film. I have a music publisher and whenever I can have a music session with another writer they will set it up. They said, “Do you like this band called Lime Cordiale?” I just heard one of their songs on the radio, so I was like, “I think they’re really cool.” We went into the studio to do a remix and ended up writing an EP.
Top five rappers? ClassicMacGruber
Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, J Cole, Nas and… Rakim.
Would you rather be the best actor or musician in the world? Or would you trade it all to score the penalty in Arsenal’s FA Cup Final win? Conorb2020 and catchytitled I’d rather be the best musician in the world so I could still perform. Or maybe he could perform and pretend to be the best musician in the world playing at Arsenal? Where would you place the ball if you were taking the decisive penalty? Down to the right!!
Do you think creative industries such as acting are closed to younger people from poorer backgrounds whose families have no connection to the industry? Trewellardmaid There are clearly fewer opportunities for people who don’t have the finances. If you come from a poor background, you are unlikely to find yourself in Rada. That said, it’s really up to people to go out and find those opportunities. If, back in the day, I had sat down and said, “I’ll wait for the Rada to come to me,” I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere. [Elba attended the National Youth Music Theatre after winning a £1,500 Prince’s Trust grant.] It’s like water: some areas, there’s not much water, but if you walk far enough, there’s a full well. So that’s the attitude I always take. But of course there are some communities that see much less opportunity.
Is your name Idris, the dragon of? [1950s–70s kids TV show] Ivor the engine? cloggy_saintNo, but growing up, that’s all everyone told me. You just reminded me to look up what the dragon Idris looks like. Looks like me, you say? I’ll take that as a compliment.
Beast is in UK cinemas from August 26