English actor Idris Elba says he is considering moving to Africa to be part of a growing film industry that includes studios he works at in Tanzania and his mother’s native Ghana.
“It’s going to happen,” “The Wire” star, 52, told the BBC. “I think in the next five [to]10 years, God willing.
According to Elba, supporting the African film industry is not something he can do from a distance. But he does not plan to settle in a particular country.
“I’m going to try to go where they’re telling stories,” the Emmy-nominated actor said. “It’s really important.”
Elba’s many memorable roles include his 2013 portrayal of South African President Nelson Mandela in “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” He also starred in the 2015 war film “Beasts of No Nation,” which was set in Ghana.
Elba sees untapped potential in places like Ghana’s capital Accra, which aren’t seen on the big screen as often as commonly filmed cities like New York and Los Angeles. According to the actor, moviegoers who only see Africa depicted as a war-torn land, scarred by trauma and despair, are not seeing the whole picture.
“When you come to Africa, you will realize this is not true,” said Elba, whose father is from Sierra Leone.
The London native is perhaps best known to American audiences as the measured and ambitious drug lord Russell “Stringer” Bell of HBO’s “The Wire.” He also starred as Heimdall in the “Thor” franchise and received critical acclaim for his work in the title role in the BBC crime drama “Luther.”
While it’s clear that playing James Bond is “not a goal,” Elba’s name frequently pops up when rumors arise that the franchise is looking for a new leading man.
He is also a rapper, DJ and record producer, known in the music world as DJ Big Driis. He opened for Madonna in 2015 when she performed on her Rebel Heart tour in Berlin. He has been featured on albums by rappers such as Jay-Z and Macklemore, and has collaborated with artists from Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
