Idris Elba

Idris Elba was born on September 6, 1972 in Hackney, London. He started his career in 1995 with a role in the British drama Bramwell. Another 1995 role was a part in Absolutely Fabulous. He continued playing supporting roles on shows like The Bill, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Family Affairs, Ultraviolet and Dangerfield. In 2001, he played Achilles in a New York City production of Troilus and Cressida.

His first starring role came in The Wire from 2002 to 2004. He also starred in Sometimes in April in 2005. He appeared in the last season of the American version of The Office. He also starred in Luther in 2010 and in The Big C. Elba’s work on Luther earned him a Best Actor Golden Globe in 2012. He appeared in 28 Weeks Later in 2007 and This Christmas. He played Heimdall in Thor and Thor: The Dark World. He had a role in 2012’s Ghost Rider and earned critical acclaim and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the 2012 film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Elba had roles in Prometheus and Pacific Rim. He reprised his role in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. He played the antagonist in 2017’s Star Trek Beyond and in The Dark Tower. Elba has also provided voice acting in Zootopia, The Jungle Book and Finding Dory.