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See Again
© BrunoPress/Flickr/Creative Commons/Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Russell “Stringer” Bell (‘The Wire’)
- Elba had a breakthrough performance in ‘The Wire’ as Stringer Bell, a ruthless drug kingpin who runs the Barksdale Organization.
© BrunoPress
1 / 31 Fotos
Russell “Stringer” Bell (‘The Wire’)
- Elba played the character from 2002 to 2004, introducing the actor to an American audience and showcasing his best US accent.
© BrunoPress
2 / 31 Fotos
Tango (‘American Gangster’)
- Elba returned to US screens three years later, with a role in crime film ‘American Gangster’. Idris played Tango in the film, a quick-footed gangster who forms a rivalry with Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington).
© BrunoPress
3 / 31 Fotos
Tango (‘American Gangster’)
- He also got involved with Jay-Z’s album of the same name, which featured vocals and production from the actor.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Mumbles (‘RocknRolla’)
- Elba kept the gangster roles coming in 2008, starring in Guy RItchie’s crime comedy ‘RocknRolla’.
© BrunoPress
5 / 31 Fotos
Mumbles (‘RocknRolla’)
- He played Mumbles, a henchman who works with Handsome Bob (Tom Hardy).
© BrunoPress
6 / 31 Fotos
Charles Miner (‘The Office’)
- The actor made a great career move in 2009, joining US sitcom ‘The Office’ as Charles Miner.
© BrunoPress
7 / 31 Fotos
Charles Miner (‘The Office’)
- Miner is a company Vice President who comically interferes with Michael Scott’s carefree management style.
© BrunoPress
8 / 31 Fotos
DCI John Luther (‘Luther’)
- ‘Luther’ was arguably Elba’s biggest role in the UK. Elba plays the titular character, an unorthodox cop who’s plagued with plenty of emotional demons.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
DCI John Luther (‘Luther’)
- Elba has played Luther for four series, from 2010 to present. He is expected to return for a fifth next year.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Heimdall (‘Thor’)
- ‘Thor’ wasn’t Elba’s first superhero film, but it featured his strongest character. The actor played the role of Heimdall, an all-seeing and all-hearing god.
© Flickr/Creative Commons
11 / 31 Fotos
Heimdall (‘Thor’)
- It was director Kenneth Branagh who convinced Elba to take the role. “[Branagh] called me up personally [...] 'I know this isn't a big role, but I would really love to see you play it.' It's Kenneth Branagh. I was like, 'Definitely'", Elba told Entertainment Weekly.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Stacker Pentecost (‘Pacific Rim’)
- Elba kept the sci-fi roles coming in 2013. He starred as Stacker Pentecost in ‘Pacific Rim’, a military general tasked with fighting monstrous sea creatures.
© BrunoPress
13 / 31 Fotos
Stacker Pentecost (‘Pacific Rim’)
- According to IMDb, Tom Cruise was originally considered for this role.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Nelson Mandela (‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’)
- Elba went big for this role in 2013. He starred as Nelson Mandela in ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’, which followed the activist’s life from childhood to president of South Africa.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Nelson Mandela (‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’)
- After completing the film, Elba was filled with musical inspiration. He released an album, ‘Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela’, one year later.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Commandant (‘Beasts of No Nation’)
- In 2015, Elba took on the role of Commandant in ‘Beasts of No Nation’. Elba played the leader of a rebel army which uses child soldiers to fight vicious battles.
© BrunoPress
17 / 31 Fotos
Commandant (‘Beasts of No Nation’)
- This is perhaps Elba’s most-acclaimed role. He won a Screen Actors Guild Award for the performance.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Chief Bogo (‘Zootopia’)
- We move onto more light-hearted territory with ‘Zootopia’. Elba played a buffalo police chief in the film.
© BrunoPress
19 / 31 Fotos
Chief Bogo (‘Zootopia’)
- Bogo is grumpy and pessimistic. Still, he warms to Officer Judy Hopps, a police rabbit from the small town of Bunnyburrow.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Shere Khan (‘The Jungle Book’)
- Elba kept things animated in 2016. He voiced the menacing tiger, Shere Khan, in a remake of 'The Jungle Book'.
© Flickr/Creative Commons
21 / 31 Fotos
Shere Khan (‘The Jungle Book’)
- Elba was one of the first voices to be announced for ‘The Jungle Book’. It was a highly-praised performance.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Krall (‘Star Trek Beyond’)
- Elba went motion capture for ‘Star Trek Beyond’, the third film in the rebooted ‘Star Trek’ series.
© BrunoPress
23 / 31 Fotos
Krall (‘Star Trek Beyond’)
- Krall was once a noble captain, but turns into a mutated human warlord who searches for destruction.
© BrunoPress
24 / 31 Fotos
Roland Deschain (‘The Dark Tower’)
- For ‘The Dark Tower’, Elba played Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers who battles Walter O'Dim for rule over the Dark Tower.
© BrunoPress
25 / 31 Fotos
Roland Deschain (‘The Dark Tower’)
- Elba picked the film because of director and co-writer, Nikolaj Arcel. “It just clicked. He's such a formidable man”, Elba told Entertainment Weekly.
© BrunoPress
26 / 31 Fotos
Charlie Jaffey (‘Molly’s Game’)
- Elba took on another crime role in ‘Molly’s Game’. He starred as Charlie Jaffey, lawyer for FBI target Molly Bloom, who runs a high-stakes poker ring in Los Angeles.
© BrunoPress
27 / 31 Fotos
Charlie Jaffey (‘Molly’s Game’)
- Elba had only 10 days to film ‘Molly’s Game’ with co-star Jessica Chastain. According to IMDb, they shot 45 pages of script in six days.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
The Director (‘Yardie’)
- Elba took on a role unlike any other in 2018. He adapted the novel ‘Yardie’ into a film, with himself serving as director.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
The Director (‘Yardie’)
- It is Elba’s first film as director.
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© BrunoPress/Flickr/Creative Commons/Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Russell “Stringer” Bell (‘The Wire’)
- Elba had a breakthrough performance in ‘The Wire’ as Stringer Bell, a ruthless drug kingpin who runs the Barksdale Organization.
© BrunoPress
1 / 31 Fotos
Russell “Stringer” Bell (‘The Wire’)
- Elba played the character from 2002 to 2004, introducing the actor to an American audience and showcasing his best US accent.
© BrunoPress
2 / 31 Fotos
Tango (‘American Gangster’)
- Elba returned to US screens three years later, with a role in crime film ‘American Gangster’. Idris played Tango in the film, a quick-footed gangster who forms a rivalry with Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington).
© BrunoPress
3 / 31 Fotos
Tango (‘American Gangster’)
- He also got involved with Jay-Z’s album of the same name, which featured vocals and production from the actor.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Mumbles (‘RocknRolla’)
- Elba kept the gangster roles coming in 2008, starring in Guy RItchie’s crime comedy ‘RocknRolla’.
© BrunoPress
5 / 31 Fotos
Mumbles (‘RocknRolla’)
- He played Mumbles, a henchman who works with Handsome Bob (Tom Hardy).
© BrunoPress
6 / 31 Fotos
Charles Miner (‘The Office’)
- The actor made a great career move in 2009, joining US sitcom ‘The Office’ as Charles Miner.
© BrunoPress
7 / 31 Fotos
Charles Miner (‘The Office’)
- Miner is a company Vice President who comically interferes with Michael Scott’s carefree management style.
© BrunoPress
8 / 31 Fotos
DCI John Luther (‘Luther’)
- ‘Luther’ was arguably Elba’s biggest role in the UK. Elba plays the titular character, an unorthodox cop who’s plagued with plenty of emotional demons.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
DCI John Luther (‘Luther’)
- Elba has played Luther for four series, from 2010 to present. He is expected to return for a fifth next year.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Heimdall (‘Thor’)
- ‘Thor’ wasn’t Elba’s first superhero film, but it featured his strongest character. The actor played the role of Heimdall, an all-seeing and all-hearing god.
© Flickr/Creative Commons
11 / 31 Fotos
Heimdall (‘Thor’)
- It was director Kenneth Branagh who convinced Elba to take the role. “[Branagh] called me up personally [...] 'I know this isn't a big role, but I would really love to see you play it.' It's Kenneth Branagh. I was like, 'Definitely'", Elba told Entertainment Weekly.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Stacker Pentecost (‘Pacific Rim’)
- Elba kept the sci-fi roles coming in 2013. He starred as Stacker Pentecost in ‘Pacific Rim’, a military general tasked with fighting monstrous sea creatures.
© BrunoPress
13 / 31 Fotos
Stacker Pentecost (‘Pacific Rim’)
- According to IMDb, Tom Cruise was originally considered for this role.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Nelson Mandela (‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’)
- Elba went big for this role in 2013. He starred as Nelson Mandela in ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’, which followed the activist’s life from childhood to president of South Africa.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Nelson Mandela (‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’)
- After completing the film, Elba was filled with musical inspiration. He released an album, ‘Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela’, one year later.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Commandant (‘Beasts of No Nation’)
- In 2015, Elba took on the role of Commandant in ‘Beasts of No Nation’. Elba played the leader of a rebel army which uses child soldiers to fight vicious battles.
© BrunoPress
17 / 31 Fotos
Commandant (‘Beasts of No Nation’)
- This is perhaps Elba’s most-acclaimed role. He won a Screen Actors Guild Award for the performance.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Chief Bogo (‘Zootopia’)
- We move onto more light-hearted territory with ‘Zootopia’. Elba played a buffalo police chief in the film.
© BrunoPress
19 / 31 Fotos
Chief Bogo (‘Zootopia’)
- Bogo is grumpy and pessimistic. Still, he warms to Officer Judy Hopps, a police rabbit from the small town of Bunnyburrow.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Shere Khan (‘The Jungle Book’)
- Elba kept things animated in 2016. He voiced the menacing tiger, Shere Khan, in a remake of 'The Jungle Book'.
© Flickr/Creative Commons
21 / 31 Fotos
Shere Khan (‘The Jungle Book’)
- Elba was one of the first voices to be announced for ‘The Jungle Book’. It was a highly-praised performance.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Krall (‘Star Trek Beyond’)
- Elba went motion capture for ‘Star Trek Beyond’, the third film in the rebooted ‘Star Trek’ series.
© BrunoPress
23 / 31 Fotos
Krall (‘Star Trek Beyond’)
- Krall was once a noble captain, but turns into a mutated human warlord who searches for destruction.
© BrunoPress
24 / 31 Fotos
Roland Deschain (‘The Dark Tower’)
- For ‘The Dark Tower’, Elba played Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers who battles Walter O'Dim for rule over the Dark Tower.
© BrunoPress
25 / 31 Fotos
Roland Deschain (‘The Dark Tower’)
- Elba picked the film because of director and co-writer, Nikolaj Arcel. “It just clicked. He's such a formidable man”, Elba told Entertainment Weekly.
© BrunoPress
26 / 31 Fotos
Charlie Jaffey (‘Molly’s Game’)
- Elba took on another crime role in ‘Molly’s Game’. He starred as Charlie Jaffey, lawyer for FBI target Molly Bloom, who runs a high-stakes poker ring in Los Angeles.
© BrunoPress
27 / 31 Fotos
Charlie Jaffey (‘Molly’s Game’)
- Elba had only 10 days to film ‘Molly’s Game’ with co-star Jessica Chastain. According to IMDb, they shot 45 pages of script in six days.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
The Director (‘Yardie’)
- Elba took on a role unlike any other in 2018. He adapted the novel ‘Yardie’ into a film, with himself serving as director.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
The Director (‘Yardie’)
- It is Elba’s first film as director.
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
Idris Elba is slated to be the next James Bond
Take a look at his most impressive performances
© BrunoPress/Creative Commons/Getty Images
The name's... Bond? That's right, after years of rumours, James Bond producers are warming to the idea of Idris Elba playing the iconic lead role. It would be a career highlight for an actor who played a number of incredible roles. Elba has a range like no other, playing lawyers, crime leaders and even buffalo police chiefs. Check out this gallery for a roundup of Elba's best roles.
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