10th October, 2017
By Funmilola Olukomaiya
Famous English actor, producer, musician, and Disc Jockey, Idris Elba is the latest cover star for Entertainment Weekly.
The 45-year-old star bared his body for the cover of the magazine’s latest issue where he opens up on being a big Hollywood actor, the best actors he has worked with and also directing his first film Yardie.
On his work, he said, “I like that I’m working all the time and I’m not pigeonholed or stuck in a line…that may not be great for my bank account, but it’s good for me.”
See excerpts of his interview:
Who is the best actor you’ve ever worked with?
After a long pause, Elba rubbed the stubble on his face and finally sighed, “F—, that’s a really hard one.”
It’s designed to be.
“I don’t know what to say, man. I don’t want to offend anyone, but I think it’s a cross between Naomie Harris [with whom he co-starred in 2013’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom] and Kate Winslet [his leading lady in the high-altitude adventure-romance, The Mountain Between Us, which is in theatres now]. Both of them are like pure deliverance in every single take.”
On Winslet, Elba had this to say: “She really comes prepared. When she shows up she’s incredibly well-researched to the point where you’re like, ‘F—, really?!’ She’s like, ‘Did you know that ice doesn’t actually turn that colour when it hits this type of water? She’s that rehearsed.” Elba continued, “I’m more instinctual. When you’re filming on a mountain at 10,000 feet and it’s minus-38 degrees, I could care less what colour the ice is. It was a real lesson in preparation.”
But he couldn’t let this one go. “Oh, can I say a third? Ruth Wilson [his costar on the BBC America cop procedural Luther]. She’s definitely on that list. She’s a beast!”
About a half an hour later, Elba returned to the question yet again, saying, “Oh, I have one more. You have to include Jessica (Elba’s co-star in the upcoming Oscar contender, Molly’s Game). Her performance in both this movie and The Help are bonkers.”