With his talent, versatility, and determination, actor Idris Elba has left a lasting impact on the entertainment industry. His work as the intense Stringer Bell in the HBO’s series The Wire made him a household name, but the actor is keen on exploring other roles.
The actor has showcased his talent in various genres but people still pressure him to play a typical “ruthless gangster.” He also highlighted that his serious roles and emotional roles, both manage to resonate with his fans. Without a doubt, Elba’s ability to seamlessly transition between different roles is the reason why all his performances are a treat to watch.
Idris Elba hates that people expect him to play “ruthless gangster“
Actor Idris Elba once explained that there is a stigma in Hollywood that if an actor plays intense roles, they are not expected to play something opposite to that. In a past interview, the actor highlighted the issue (via IMDb),
“I would never be fearful of any character. I think there’s a tendency for actors like myself, and I don’t mean to generalize myself, but I’ve played ‘men’s men,’ if you will, characters that are simmering rage and calculated. There’s a trend not to play anything that is opposed to that. I remember when I left Stringer, one of the films I did was Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls (2007), which was about a man doting over his three little girls. I remember there was talk ‘Why? Would would you do that? Play gangsters. Play ruthless.'”
Elba’s work was Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire was well-received by the audience, however, when he played an emotional role in 2007’s Daddy’s Little Girls, there was a lot of criticism.
Idris Elba’s fans eventually got used to his emotional roles
Further in the interview, Elba explained that the same people who expected him to play a “gangster,” later related to his emotional characters,
“It’s really funny because the same people who loved me as Stringer Bell were the same people that were watching Daddy’s Little Girls literally in tears. Some people don’t like the film, but some of the guys that came up to me and said ‘Yo, I want to see you play gangsters’ were the same ones that were in tears because they had either strained relationships with their children, or they loved their children so much and they were watching a character that they could relate to. I don’t mind playing characters that are opposite of what people think I am.”
Elba has played many complex characters in various genres, which is one of the main reasons behind his success. His commanding presence, charisma, and commitment have made him one of the best actors in the entertainment industry right now.
Source: IMDb
