Hailing from Britain, Idris Elba is renowned for his exceptional acting skills, showcased in a wide range of roles on both the big and small screens. His iconic portrayals in Luther and The Wire, as well as captivating performances in Hollywood blockbusters, have garnered him widespread acclaim for his talent and magnetic presence. Apart from his acting prowess, Elba also showcases his musical talents as a skilled musician and DJ.
John Boyega recently reacted to Idris Elba’s recent statements, wherein Elba mentioned that he no longer identifies himself as a Black actor. In a conversation with Esquire UK, Elba expressed his belief that society’s preoccupation with race can impede people’s ambitions and that being labeled as a Black actor placed limitations on him.
Idris Elba Believes Humans Are Obsessed With Race
Idris Elba initiated the conversation by emphasizing the importance of focusing on their similarities rather than our differences. They suggested that dedicating more time to finding common ground could lead to a significant shift in how they interact with one another on a global scale.
“If we spent half the time not talking about the differences but the similarities between us, the entire planet would have a shift in the way we deal with each other,” Elba said. “As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth.”
Elba emphasized the importance of discussing racism, acknowledging its reality. However, he shared his perspective on not allowing racism to hold power over one’s identity. He expressed that he stopped defining himself solely as a Black actor because it limited him to a box. Elba advocated for growth, emphasizing that our skin is just skin, and it shouldn’t define our potential.
“Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be. I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realised it put me in a box. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin. Rant over.”
Shortly after the original comments from the actor were made, John Boyega responded with his thoughts on the matter.
John Boyega Wants People To Address Typecasting
In a tweet, the Star Wars actor expressed his view, suggesting that our focus should be on addressing typecasting and limiting actors due to racial factors rather than making unusual adjustments for them.
“I think we should fixate on who is typecasting and putting actors in boxes because of this,” Boyega tweeted. “Not on making weird adjustments for them. We continuously focus on what we have to do so they don’t do this or that. Very worrying. We BLACK and that’s that.”
Having previously raised concerns about racial issues in the film industry, John Boyega once again spoke out, expressing his unease with the sidelining of actors of color in the Star Wars narrative.
Luther can be streamed on Pluto TV.
Source: NME
