Idris Elba biography, wife, height, net worth, age, best movies, kids 2025

Idris Elba Biography

Idris Elba is the star of "The Wire," "Luther," Guy Ritchie's crime film "RocknRolla," the superhero movie "Thor," the Stephen King adaptation "The Dark Tower," and countless other projects worth your attention.

Childhood and Family

Idrissa (Idris) Akuna Elba was born in the fall of 1972 in London's Hackney district. His father, Winston Elba, worked at the Ford plant, while his mother Eva, a native of the African nation of Ghana, was an office worker. The future actor's parents met and married in Winston's homeland of Sierra Leone. Shortly after, they emigrated to Great Britain and settled in London.

The name "Idris" translates from Welsh as "ardent lord." It also appears in the Quran as the name of an Islamic prophet.

From childhood, Elba's main passion was music. Together with his uncle, Idris wrote songs for wedding ceremonies. This got him into arranging, then he mastered the DJ decks and started performing at parties under the name Big Driis. In 1987, the 16-year-old kid founded his own studio that organized performances for young DJs.

But the venture brought in almost no money. So he had to work hard at several jobs to support himself and his family and pay the rent. During this period, Idris Elba fitted tires, cold-called potential auto service clients, and worked the night shift on the assembly line at the same Ford plant where his father worked.

In the late eighties, Idris Elba won a government grant to study at the National Youth Music Theatre school. That's where he started learning acting. At first, acting was just an elective for the talented young DJ, but over time, his pull toward the craft grew stronger until it finally outweighed everything else.

Acting Career

Idris Elba started his path to acting fame in the early '90s. In 1995, he landed a role in the first season of the period medical soap opera "Bramwell," set in Victorian times. He played the handsome thief Charlie Carter, who lost his wife in childbirth and was left holding their newborn daughter.

The score of Idris Elba's successful films has long gone to dozens

After that, Idris Elba became a regular on British TV channels while simultaneously appearing on stage. The breakthrough for the young British actor came with the Shakespeare production "Troilus and Cressida," where he played Achilles.

Over the next seven years, Idris appeared in around 20 TV projects, but it was HBO's crime drama "The Wire," which ran from 2002 to 2008, that made him a household name. Elba brought to life the smart and ruthless drug dealer Stringer Bell.

The Wire: Idris Elba playing Stringer

Three years later, he starred in the powerful drama "Sometimes in April," which told the story of the Rwandan genocide. After that, the actor's filmography expanded to include the musical "Gospel," the melodrama "Daddy's Little Girls," and the horror films "The Reaping" and "28 Weeks Later."

In 2008, Idris appeared in Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla," forming the "Wild Bunch" alongside Gerard Butler and Tom Hardy's characters. His character, a gangster nicknamed Mumbles, absolutely charmed audiences. That same year, the actor received his first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for his role in Ridley Scott's crime drama "American Gangster."

He didn't take home the prize that time, but the talented Londoner's name soon became a regular on the nominee list. The actor found particular success with the series "The Big C" and the British crime drama "Luther." The latter became especially popular with TV audiences, and the role of London detective John Luther, known for his unconventional methods, earned Elba a Golden Globe and several Emmy nominations.

"Luther" is the most popular series with Idris Elba

"Luther"'s success from its first episodes caught Hollywood directors' attention, and by 2011, Idris Elba had joined the Marvel universe, landing the role of Asgard's gatekeeper in the blockbuster "Thor" with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. The film (and its 2013 sequel) became the actor's most commercially successful project.

In 2012, the actor reunited with Ridley Scott, this time for a sci-fi project. He made an impression on "Prometheus" viewers, who especially loved his scene with Charlize Theron. Soon after, rumors circulated in the press that Idris was one of the top candidates to play the next James Bond, but the actor turned down the possibility: "James Bond should be handsome. Plus, I'm getting too old." In the end, Daniel Craig became the new Agent 007.

Still, Elba had no shortage of successful projects even without Bond, including his roles in the action film "Pacific Rim" with Charlie Hunnam and the biographical drama "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," where he portrayed Nelson Mandela himself opposite the brilliant Naomie Harris.

Idris Elba's voice can be heard in several high-profile projects: in "Zootopia," he voiced police chief Bogo, and in "The Jungle Book," he brought the treacherous tiger Shere Khan to life.

In 2017, the long-awaited adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" hit theaters. Idris Elba took on the central role of Roland Deschain, aka the Gunslinger, who's racing to reach the Dark Tower and prevent humanity's destruction. His antagonist, an ageless sorcerer, was brought to life by Matthew McConaughey.

"The Dark Tower": Idris Elba as the Gunslinger

That same year, he jumped into Discovery's documentary project "Fighter." For a full year, he pushed himself through brutal fight training while juggling his acting career, all building toward a final showdown in the ring against a professional athlete.

Idris Elba: Fighter | Episode 1 Best Bits

Next up were two Marvel projects: "Thor: Ragnarok" and "Avengers: Infinity War," which reunited franchise favorites Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Robert Downey Jr., the ever-reliable Chris Hemsworth as Thor, plus Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson.

2019 brought the adaptation of the cult musical "Cats," which featured Elba alongside legends Ian McKellen and Judi Dench.

In April 2020, Idris Elba and his wife launched a fund to help rural farmers hit hard by the pandemic. Around the same time, Elba became creative director for a music video by Canadian R&B singer Emanuel, where people shared their stories of dealing with quarantine life.

In 2021, Elba stormed back onto the big screen as mercenary Bloodsport in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad." He also appeared in "Concrete Cowboy," where his character tries to rebuild his relationship with his teenage son. Then came the Western "The Harder They Fall," with Elba taking on the villain role of Rufus Buck.

Idris Elba in superhero armor against a brick building backdrop — Idris Elba in "The Suicide Squad"

In August 2022, an unusual project hit theaters – George Miller's romantic fantasy "Three Thousand Years of Longing." Tilda Swinton led the cast, with Elba transforming into a Djinn. The film earned a six-minute standing ovation at Cannes, though box office returns disappointed: it pulled in just $20.3 million against a $60 million budget.

Idris Elba with prosthetic ears in a bathrobe — Idris Elba as the Djinn

Then Elba went toe-to-toe with a lion in the thriller "Beast." Here he plays a widower who takes his daughters to South Africa, where they become the target of a massive, hunting lion.

The long-awaited film "Luther: The Fallen Sun" hit Netflix in March 2023. Disgraced detective John Luther, played by Idris Elba, breaks out of prison to catch a serial killer he couldn't stop before. The film got mixed reviews – some praised Elba and the action sequences, while others complained about formulaic plotting and a cardboard villain. Still, the movie landed in Netflix's top 5 most-watched films.

Idris Elba in a coat with a red tie looking to the side, film still — Idris Elba in "Luther: The Fallen Sun"

In 2023, Elba voiced Solomon Reed in the Phantom Liberty expansion for the video game Cyberpunk 2077. 2024 brought several projects at once: the miniseries "Knuckles" for Paramount+ and the feature film "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," where Elba voiced the red echidna. At the same time, the thriller "Hijack" was streaming on Apple TV+, earning an Emmy nomination.

Idris Elba's Personal Life

From 1997 to 2001, Idris Elba was married to actress Dormowa Sherman, who gave birth to their daughter Isan in 2002, shortly after their split. The girl lives with her mother in Atlanta, but her father visits regularly.

His marriage to Kim Elba and relationship with Sonya Hamlin turned out to be considerably shorter. From 2012 to 2013, he dated singer K. Michelle, then spent three years in a serious relationship with makeup artist Naiyana Garth. In 2014, she gave birth to his son Winston. The couple split in 2016.

Idris Elba with son Winston and ex-partner Naiyana

In 2017, while filming "The Mountain Between Us," Idris Elba met model Sabrina Dhowre. She's more than 10 years younger than the actor, but the age gap didn't stand in the way – two years later, the couple tied the knot in Morocco.

Idris Elba Now

In August 2024, the Zanzibar government allocated Elba nearly 200 acres of land to build a film studio. The idea was born a year earlier after a meeting with Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Zanzibar's Minister of Investment said the studio could become an African equivalent of Hollywood, Nollywood, or Bollywood – maybe even Zollywood.

In June 2024, Elba launched production company 22Summers. That same year, he started his own label, Sound International, which specializes in house music from around the world. And in February 2025, he invested in the Kiro Race Co team competing in the FIA Formula E World Championship.

Idris Elba in a suit, face in close-up — Idris Elba in "A House of Dynamite"

In 2025, Elba played two "political roles": the British Prime Minister in "Heads of State" and the U.S. President in Kathryn Bigelow's "A House of Dynamite."

Idris Elba: latest news and articles

Beatrice Harris

Such passions are in full swing in his personal life!! Wow! Did he become a father again or not?

2021-05-12 22:48:19
Harold Edwards

I think soon Elba will take a part in a movie and it will be a main role

2021-05-03 17:14:00
Allison Powers

Elba doesn`t play everywhere, only in top movies

2021-04-18 10:55:39
Dylan Blake Griffin

He started good and moved up in the cinema

2021-04-13 14:01:25
Jennifer Flores

Everyone who gets into the Avengers, then get cool offers from other directors

2021-03-14 17:39:23

Idris Elba

Photos: Idris Elba