After The Wire, Luther and Pacific Rim, there can hardly be any doubt – 2013 is the year of Idris Elba. The actor, who rose from humble beginnings, has been on everyone’s lips these past few months and has even been slated to possibly take over as the new 007, when Daniel Craig steps down. That’s all in the realm of speculation, of course, but Elba’s real life successes are not to be discounted.

Idris Elba, Pacific Rim Premiere
2013 is the year of Idris Elba.

Even the United States president has apparently taken note. Elba recalled his encounter with Barack Obama in a recent interview with The Sun: “The Obamas invited me to the White House and I had fun, a good time,” he says of his hosts.“David Cameron and his wife were there — he is a Luther fan and so is Barack Obama. “When I saw the President I said, ‘Mr President, I hear I am not your favourite character in The Wire’, and he said, ‘Well, yeah, but Luther — that’s me’.”

Idris Elba, Pacific Rim Premiere
The actor even has the Obamas in his phonebook.

Elba’s recent rise to the top of the social ladder has brought a number of career opportunities – including being hand-picked by Nelson Mandela’s family to play him in a forthcoming biopic. In fact, the actor says that it is this role in the adaptation of the South African president’s autobiography Long Walk To Freedom, which brings him the most satisfaction out of his recent string of successes. It is certainly not the only one however. With numerous projects lined up, Idris Elba is definitely a name to look out for in the coming years. In the meantime, you can catch the actor in Pacific Rim, now in theatres.

Check out the trailer below.