Idris Elba (born 06.11.1972) is an English actor possibly best known for his roles as drug lord Russell "Stringer" Bell in American show 'The Wire' and DCI John Luther in BBC series 'Luther'.
Childhood: Idris Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. His parents are Winston, a Ford factory worker from Sierra Leone, and Eve, a clerical worker from Ghana; both met in Africa before moving to the UK. When he was 14, he helped his uncle with his job as a wedding DJ and later set up his own DJ company where he played in nightclubs under the name Big Driis. He left school at 16 and joined the National Youth Music Theatre with a grant from the Prince's Trust.
Acting Career: Idris Elba's first credited TV role was as a gigolo on the hit 90s comedy series 'Absolutely Fabulous' which starred Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley. He was Tim Webster in the soap opera 'Family Affairs' and rose to fame in 1998 as Vaughan Rice in the horror series 'Ultraviolet'. He landed his first starring role in 'The Wire' in 2002 after he moved to the US. In 2005, he impressed in American series 'Sometimes in April' and in 2009 he took on a new role in the hit comedy 'The Office'. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy after making a guest appearance in 'The Big C' and won a Golden Globe as the lead actor in 'Luther'. Idris has appeared in several films, taking on the lead role in 'Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls' in 2007. He also made appearances in the zombie film '28 Weeks Later', 'American Gangster', 'This Christmas', Guy Ritchie's 'RocknRolla' and the horror flick 'The Unborn'. He had a starring role opposite Beyonce Knowles in 'Obsessed' and portrayed a soldier in 2010's 'Legacy'. Most recently, he was in the Marvel based flicks 'Thor' and 'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' and Ridley Scott's 'Prometheus'. He is due to appear in the sci-fi dystopia 'Pacific Rim' and has the starring role in an upcoming Nelson Mandela biopic. Idris Elba: Music Career Idris Elba has appeared in several music videos including for Fat Joe, Angie Stone and Giggs in 2001 and Busta Rhymes in 2009. He released his first EP, 'Big Man', on Hevlar Records in 2006 and performed on the intro on Jay-Z's 'American Gangster' album. He released his first single, 'Please Be True', and his second EP, 'Kings Among Kings', in 2009 and his third EP, 'High Class Problems Vol. 1' came out in the UK in 2010. He performed on the intro on Pharoahe Monch's album 'W.A.R.' in 2011 and in Mumford & Sons video for 'Lover of the Light' in 2012.
Personal Life: Idris Elba was formerly married to Dormowa Sherma with whom he has a daughter, Isan. He lives between his home in London and his home in Atlanta close to where Isan lives. He is the Anti-Crime Ambassador for the Prince's Trust and supports the football club Arsenal F.C.
Biography by Contactmusic.com