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- Harald Krichel
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15 Facts About Idris Elba That Will Make You Even Thirstier
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1He Helps Fight Cancer
Elba became the face - or voice, rather - of designer Stella McCartney's breast cancer awareness campaign in 2018. He narrated McCartney's video about breast cancer and those who have survived it. Elba, who lost his father to lung cancer, wanted to both show his support and help men to talk about the disease with the women in their lives. He said:
Removing the taboo around men talking about breast cancer and encouraging other men to talk about it with their wives, mothers, sisters is something you don't often see or hear about, but it should be. We should be encouraging the women in our lives to go for regular check-ups. I admire Stella for all her hard work around bringing awareness to this disease, and I applaud her for such a great campaign.
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He's A Successful DJ And Singer
At age 14, Elba started working with his uncle as a professional DJ. By 19, he was working in clubs under the name Big Driis. He still dabbles in his DJ career, but he's also branched out and become a singer and rapper. He's been featured on songs by other artists, including Jay-Z and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. He even opened for Madonna on her Rebel Heart Tour in Berlin.
In 2018, he started his own record label, 7Wallace Music.
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He's A Trained Kickboxer
As if acting, DJing, and singing weren't enough, Elba is also something of a daredevil. He took up numerous thrill-seeking activities - including street racing and speed boating - on the Discovery Channel series Idris Elba: No Limits. In a subsequent series, Idris Elba: Fighter, he chronicled his experiences becoming a kickboxer. At one point in his training, he suffered a concussion, but he plowed through it.
Elba considers these pastimes his version of a midlife crisis. He told AskMen:
I think my ego was being tested at middle age. Like how some people go out and buy Ferraris and some people buy a motorbike. Well, I was sort of interested in testing whether my body can withstand extreme training.
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4He's A Devoted (And Goofy) Dad
Elba has a daughter, Isan, with his former wife, Kim, and a son, Winston, with his former girlfriend. He told People, "I'm super doting as a dad. Big hugs, kisses, lots of love-yous and all of that." When Elba was announced as a performer at the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Isan admitted that "it was a cool dad moment."
But while Elba takes his career(s) seriously, he insists he's much more laid-back in private. "I'm pretty goofy in real life," he told BuzzFeed News.
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5He's Been Singled Out For Making London A Better City
Elba may be on the verge of superstardom, but he's not yet gone completely Hollywood. He still lives in London and has been recognized for his contributions to the city. In 2018, Time Out named him one of the "50 Londoners Who Make the City Awesome."
He's been a vocal opponent of the housing cuts that have impacted young people and has called the British housing crisis "bullsh*t."
Elba also directed a film called Yardie, which "honors [the] sound system culture" of his hometown.
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6He Can Wear Anything
Elba told GQ in 2013, "The irony is I wake up every morning, look at myself in the mirror, and think, 'Woah, I look like a piece of sh*t. You watch yourself age, and it's hard to feel like a sex symbol."
But millions would disagree, and let's face it, the man can make any outfit look good. That's because he has his philosophy of style and has taken the time to develop his tastes. But there are things he refuses to wear, as he told GQ: "I probably would never wear a kilt. I've just got knobbly knees, man!"
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7He Won An Award For 'Rear Of The Year'
In 2017, Elba was awarded Rear of the Year, over fellow nominees Prince Harry and Harry Styles. He took over the title from the year's previous winner, Tom Hiddleston. Elba confessed he was a bit "weirded out" by the award.
"I had to look in the mirror to see what they were talking about. Truth is, what an honor, Wow," he told Stellar. "What can I say? Apparently having a nice backside is a big thing."
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He Comes From Blue Collar Roots
Winston Elba, Idris's father, was an immigrant to the UK from Sierra Leone, and he worked at a Ford Motor plant in Hackney, London. "My dad was a union man, and was constantly going on about fighting for 'us small workers,' fighting for steel-capped boots on the factory floor, and stuff like that," Elba said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2015.
Idris's grandfather was a police officer and sailor. Idris's humble roots have kept him grounded in Tinseltown. "I'd rather impress Mum and Auntie than earn millions as a Hollywood star!" he told the Mirror.
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He's Poked Fun At The Speculation That He'll Be The Next James Bond
Er.... pic.twitter.com/tVqHI5EW0Q
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) January 7, 2019The internet has practically exploded with speculation over whether Elba will be the next James Bond. Spoiler alert: He won't. But that hasn't stopped him from having fun with the idea.
At the 2019 Golden Globes, he took a photo of himself seated beside the current Bond, Daniel Craig. The picture shows Craig giving Elba an epic (tongue-in-cheek) stare-down.
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He Can Ride A Motorcycle
Given his penchant for risk-taking activities, it should come as no surprise that Elba is also an avid motorcyclist. In the 2013 documentary series Idris Elba: King of Speed, he learned how to ride a trail bike.
In the latest Fast and Furious installment, he will tear through Glasgow on a Triumph. And in a GQ cover spread, he posed with a classic bike in a tribute to Marlon Brando's character in The Wild One.
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11He's Driven Formula Cars Through Paris
In 2018, Elba took to the streets of Paris in an ABB FIA Formula E championship car. The electric race car can achieve speeds up to 140 miles per hour. He said of the experience:
Driving around the streets of Paris in an electric car at over 100 miles an hour is a dream come true. It’s beautiful - it’s a great track. It’s short, swift, [and] there’s a lovely couple of straights that really bang out.
Elba's car connection runs deep. His father worked for Ford, and Ford vehicles have played a big part in his life. Elba also owns an electric bike, proving his love for all things fast.
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12He Has A Crush On Meryl Streep
For further proof of Elba's impeccable taste, Elba revealed his celebrity crush is none other than Meryl Streep. "When I met her, my tongue swelled up in my mouth!" he told Us Weekly.
In that same profile, he also said he looks for "patience and understanding" in a woman, and apparently, he's found those qualities in Sabrina Dhowre. The two were engaged in 2018.
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13He Has His Own Clothing Label
Elba launched his own clothing label in conjunction with the brand Superdry in 2015. At the launch, Elba said:
There’s everything from hoodies to jeans. You can wear it in the morning, and you’ll probably end up at work; and you’ll probably end up at dinner later on and you can still wear it. That’s the idea behind it; it’s pretty simple, it’s comfortable to wear, it’s easy. I’m really proud of it.
The line also includes jackets and coats, sweaters, polo shirts, shorts, and athletic wear.
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14He's Playing The Villain In The Movie Version Of 'Cats'
In the 2019 film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats, Elba will play the villainous Macavity. Macavity is the story's main antagonist. A bad cat (literally) who terrorizes the other felines, he preys upon the Jellicle Cats and takes their beloved leader, Old Deuteronomy.
Elba will star alongside Judi Dench, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, Sir Ian McKellen, and a slew of other A-listers. The movie is set for a December 20, 2019, release.
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15He Guest-Starred On 'Absolutely Fabulous'
One of Elba's first acting roles was a guest-starring spot on the legendary British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. He played a male escort named Hilton, who gets it on with Patsy (Joanna Lumley). Ironically, given his theoretical connection to James Bond, Patsy says to Hilton at one point during the episode, "Hey, Hils, has anyone ever told you, you look like Sean Connery?"
While Elba may not necessarily be thought of as a comedian, he's hilarious in the role. Hilton accidentally sprays "stiffness spray" on his tongue, which becomes rock-hard as a result. It's a moment of pure physical comedy brilliance.
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