Idris Elba wants to be known as “Doctor Dris” after being awarded an honorary doctorate.

The Golden Globe winner, 50, made the joke as he picked up the tribute from Ravensbourne University London, Mail Online reported on Wednesday. (07.12.22)

Idris was granted it alongside Tinker Hatfield, Nike’s vice president of creative concepts at the Barbican, London, during Ravensbourne’s annual ceremony marking the graduation of 800 students of the creative and digital industries.

Idris said: “Education is the exact foundation that I am standing on here today. Because of my education, I got to go places that I never even dreamed of going to.

“I wanted to be in the creative arts because I wanted to contribute, I wanted to have a seat at the table, I wanted to have someone that looked like me, to have something to offer, and my education prepared me for that.

“Ravensbourne stands for the very same values: putting skillsets in students and giving them an opportunity to have a seat at the table forever.

“So many amazing students have come from here and are still contributing. The truth is the learning always continues.

“I am super proud of this, because it’s an honour, but also, now, you lot can call me Doctor Dris.”

Idris has constantly supported young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in getting into the creative business, and founded his Green Door Pictures production company to help storytellers deliver diverse tales.

Ravensbourne’s vice chancellor Andy Cook said about honouring the ‘Luther’ actor: “Our honorary doctorates are given to role models who embody the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Ravensbourne.

“Our students look up to Idris and Tinker for their work to champion diversity in the creative industries and beyond.

“They have both used their creativity to shift culture, to transform industry and to create real social change: this is exactly what Ravensbourne equips our graduates to do.”