Idrissa Akuna Elba ( IH-driss; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor, rapper, singer, and DJ. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three BAFTA Awards and six Emmy Awards. He was named in the Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World in 2016. His films have grossed over $9.8 billion at the global box office, making him one of the top 20 highest-grossing actors.
Elba studied acting at the National Youth Music Theatre in London. He rose to prominence playing Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire (2002–2004), and DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther (2010–2019), the later of which earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film as well as a four nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He was also Emmy-nominated for his guest role in Showtime comedy-drama series The Big C (2011) and for his leading role in Apple TV+ thriller series Hijack (2024). He is also known for his recurring guest role as Charles Miner in the NBC sitcom The Office (2009).
On film, he portrayed a ruthless and charismatic warlord in the Netflix drama Beasts of No Nation (2015) for which he received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role as well as nominations for a British Academy Film Award and Golden Globe Award. He portrayed Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. He has also acted in films such as American Gangster (2007), Obsessed (2009), Prometheus (2012), Pacific Rim (2013), Star Trek Beyond (2016), Molly's Game (2017), The Dark Tower (2017), Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), and The Harder They Fall (2021).
He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) portraying Heimdall in six films beginning with Thor (2011), as well as the DC Extended Universe playing Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad (2021). He has voiced roles in Zootopia, The Jungle Book, and Finding Dory (all 2016). He made his directorial debut with Yardie (2018). Apart from acting, Elba performs as a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis or Idris and as an R&B singer.
Source : Wikipedia
