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Idrissa Akuna Elba is an English actor, writer, producer, musician, DJ, rapper, and singer. He is known for roles including Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire, DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013). He has been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film, winning one, and was nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Birth Name
Idrissa Akuna Elba
Born
Wednesday, 06 September 1972
Links
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Zootopia 2 | Chief Bogo (voice) | 2025 |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Knuckles / Knuckles the Echidna (voice) | 2024 |
| Knuckles | Knuckles | 2024 |
| The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards | Self - Presenter | 2024 |
| See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Self | 2023 |
| Hijack | Sam Nelson | 2023 |
| Extraction II | Alcott | 2023 |
| Luther: The Fallen Sun | John Luther | 2023 |
| The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse | The Fox (voice) / The Fox | 2022 |
| Zootopia+ | Chief Bogo | 2022 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Zootopia 2 | Chief Bogo (voice) | 2025 |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Knuckles / Knuckles the Echidna (voice) | 2024 |
| Knuckles | Knuckles | 2024 |
| The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards | Self - Presenter | 2024 |
| See It Loud: The History of Black Television | Self | 2023 |
| Hijack | Sam Nelson | 2023 |
| Extraction II | Alcott | 2023 |
| Luther: The Fallen Sun | John Luther | 2023 |
| The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse | The Fox (voice) / The Fox | 2022 |
| Zootopia+ | Chief Bogo | 2022 |
| Human Playground | Narrator | 2022 |
| Three Thousand Years of Longing | The Djinn | 2022 |
| Beast | Dr. Nate Samuels / Dr. Nate Daniels | 2022 |
| Thor: Love and Thunder | Heimdall | 2022 |
| Idris Elba's Fight School | Self | 2022 |
| Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Knuckles the Echidna (voice) / Knuckles | 2022 |
| FRO Thizzle Reviews | Self | 2022 |
| The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony | Self | 2021 |
| The Harder They Fall | Rufus Buck | 2021 |
| What If...? | Heimdall | 2021 |
| The Suicide Squad | Bloodsport / Robert DuBois | 2021 |
| Concrete Cowboy | Harp | 2021 |
| Idris Elba Meets Paul McCartney | 2020 | |
| The Noughties | Self | 2020 |
| A World of Calm | Narrator | 2020 |
| The Drew Barrymore Show | Self - Guest | 2020 |
| GMA3: What You Need to Know | Self | 2020 |
| Coronavirus, Explained | Self - Narrator | 2020 |
| One World: Together at Home | Self | 2020 |
| Elba vs. Block | Self / Himself | 2020 |
| Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert | Self | 2020 |
| Oprah Talks COVID-19 | Self | 2020 |
| Cats | Macavity | 2019 |
| The Kelly Clarkson Show | Self | 2019 |
| Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw | Brixton | 2019 |
| Toni Kroos | Self | 2019 |
| Turn Up Charlie | Charlie | 2019 |
| Desus & Mero | Self | 2019 |
| GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke | Self | 2018 |
| Jeremy Vine | Self - Actor | 2018 |
| The Big Narstie Show | Self - Guest | 2018 |
| Hollywood Insider | Self | 2018 |
| Avengers: Infinity War | Heimdall | 2018 |
| In the Long Run | Walter | 2017 |
| The IMDb Show | Self - Guest / Self | 2017 |
| Complex x Fuse | Self | 2017 |
| Thor: Ragnarok | Heimdall | 2017 |
| The Mountain Between Us | Dr. Ben Bass / Ben Bass | 2017 |
| The Dark Tower | Roland Deschain / Roland | 2017 |
| The Dark Tower | Roland Deschain | 2020 |
| Guerrilla | Kent | 2017 |
| Five by Five | Alpha Ash | 2017 |
| Unfiltered | Self - Guest | 2017 |
| Molly's Game | Charlie Jaffey | 2017 |
| Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour | Self | 2016 |
| Finding Dory: Marine Life Interviews | Fluke | 2016 |
| 100 Streets | Max | 2016 |
| The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards | Self - Nominee | 2016 |
| Star Trek Beyond | Krall | 2016 |
| Finding Dory | Fluke (voice) / Fluke | 2016 |
| The Take | Sean Briar | 2016 |
| The Jungle Book | Shere Khan (voice) / Shere Khan | 2016 |
| Zootopia | Chief Bogo (voice) / Chief Bogo | 2016 |
| 73rd Golden Globe Awards | Self - Nominee | 2016 |
| Beasts of No Nation | Commandant | 2015 |
| The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Self | 2015 |
| Idris Elba: No Limits | Self / Himself | 2015 |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron | Heimdall | 2015 |
| Mandela, My Dad and Me | Himself | 2015 |
| The Late Late Show with James Corden | Self | 2015 |
| Hot Ones | Self - Guest | 2015 |
| The Oscars | Self - Presenter | 2015 |
| The Gunman | Barnes | 2015 |
| Cut from a Different Cloth | Self | 2015 |
| The CNBC Conversation | Self - UN IFAD Goodwill Ambassador | 2014 |
| No Good Deed | Colin / Colin Evans | 2014 |
| Second Coming | Mark | 2014 |
| The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards | Self - Nominee | 2014 |
| Enchanted Kingdom | Narrator | 2014 |
| Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self | 2014 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Self | 2014 |
| 71st Golden Globe Awards | Self - Nominee | 2014 |
| Idris Elba: King of Speed | Himself / Self - Presenter | 2013 |
| Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom | Nelson Mandela | 2013 |
| Thor: The Dark World | Heimdall | 2013 |
| A Film by Guillermo del Toro | Self - 'Stacker Pentecost' | 2013 |
| The Queen Latifah Show | Self - Guest | 2013 |
| Celebrity Page | Self | 2013 |
| The Real | Self | 2013 |
| Pacific Rim | Stacker Pentecost | 2013 |
| The Furious Gods: Making Prometheus | Himself / Self | 2012 |
| The Last Leg | Self - Guest | 2012 |
| Idris Elba's How Clubbing Changed the World | Self - Presenter / Himself | 2012 |
| The Hollywood Fast Lane | Self - Interviewee | 2012 |
| Prometheus | Janek | 2012 |
| Playhouse Presents | Akuna's Father / Narrator | 2012 |
| The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards | Self - Winner | 2012 |
| CBS This Morning | Self | 2012 |
| Oprah Prime | Self | 2012 |
| Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance | Moreau | 2011 |
| The Jonathan Ross Show | Self - Guest | 2011 |
| How Hip Hop Changed the World | Self / Himself | 2011 |
| Close Up | Self | 2011 |
| Dish Nation | Self | 2011 |
| Thor | Heimdall | 2011 |
| Legacy | Malcolm Gray | 2010 |
| Gumball 3000: LDN 2 NYC | Himself / Self | 2011 |
| Gumball 3000 med Erik och Mackan | Self | 2010 |
| Takers | Gordon Jennings | 2010 |
| The Big C | Lenny | 2010 |
| Luther | DCI John Luther | 2010 |
| The Losers | Roque | 2010 |
| Mark at the Movies | Self | 2009 |
| Obsessed | Derek / Derek Charles | 2009 |
| Russell Simmons Presents Brave New Voices | Self | 2009 |
| Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Himself - Guest | 2009 |
| The Unborn | Arthur Wyndham | 2009 |
| The Human Contract | Larry | 2008 |
| RocknRolla | Mumbles | 2008 |
| Prom Night | Detective Winn | 2008 |
| The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency | Charlie Gotso | 2008 |
| This Christmas | Quentin Whitfield / Quentin "Junior" Whitfield | 2007 |
| American Gangster | Tango | 2007 |
| Chelsea Lately | Himself - Guest | 2007 |
| American Greed | Self | 2007 |
| 28 Weeks Later | Stone / General Stone | 2007 |
| ESPN First Take | Self | 2007 |
| The Reaping | Ben | 2007 |
| The Graham Norton Show | Self - Guest / Self | 2007 |
| Daddy's Little Girls | Monty James / Monty | 2007 |
| Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition | Self | 2006 |
| The One Show | Self - Guest | 2006 |
| All in the Game | Paul | 2006 |
| Dancing on Ice | Self | 2006 |
| The Gospel | Reverend Charles Frank | 2005 |
| Made in Hollywood | Self | 2005 |
| CNBC on Assignment | UN IFAD Goodwill Ambassador | 2005 |
| The Office | Charles Miner | 2005 |
| Sometimes in April | Augustin | 2005 |
| The Hour | Self - Guest | 2005 |
| Jonny Zero | Hodge | 2005 |
| The Insider | Himself (archive footage) | 2004 |
| Strictly Come Dancing | Self - Terms and Conditions | 2004 |
| The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Himself / Self | 2003 |
| One Love | Aaron | 2003 |
| Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Himself - Guest / Himself | 2003 |
| Queens Supreme | Carla | 2003 |
| Buffalo Soldiers | Kimborough | 2002 |
| Hack | Mac Boone | 2002 |
| CSI: Miami | Angelo Sedaris | 2002 |
| The Wire | Russell 'Stringer' Bell / Stringer Bell | 2002 |
| Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | Self - Guest | 2001 |
| The Inspector Lynley Mysteries | Robert Gabriel | 2001 |
| Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Police Officer | 2000 |
| Sorted | Jam | 2000 |
| Girlfriends | Paul Raymond | 2000 |
| Soul Food | Smitty | 2000 |
| In Defence | PC Paul Fraser | 2000 |
| Beautiful Mother | Grégoire | 1999 |
| Ultraviolet | Vaughan Rice | 1998 |
| The View | Self / Himself | 1997 |
| Family Affairs | Tim Webster | 1997 |
| Insiders | Robinson Bennett | 1997 |
| Behind the Mask | Ovronramwen | 1997 |
| Access Hollywood | Self | 1996 |
| Crucial Tales | Benton | 1996 |
| The Daily Show | Self | 1996 |
| Silent Witness | Charlie | 1996 |
| Bramwell | Charlie Carter | 1995 |
| The Governor | Officer Chiswick | 1995 |
| Dangerfield | Matt Gregory | 1995 |
| Space Precinct | Pizza Delivery Man | 1994 |
| Extra | Self | 1994 |
| Absolutely Fabulous | Hilton | 1992 |
| 2point4 Children | the Parachute Instructor | 1991 |
| Law & Order | Lonnie Liston | 1990 |
| Sidewalks Entertainment | Self - Guest | 1988 |
| Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Raffy / Pest Controller | 1987 |
| London's Burning | L / Cpl. Frost | 1986 |
| The Brief | Earl Lee / Alex Mason | 1984 |
| Entertainment Tonight | Self / Himself / Himself (archive footage) | 1981 |
| Saturday Night Live | Self - Host / Various | 1975 |
Director Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| Yardie | 2018 |
| Playhouse Presents | 2012 |
Producer Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| Hijack | 2023 |
| Luther: The Fallen Sun | 2023 |
| A New Diva's Christmas Carol | 2022 |
| Human Playground | 2022 |
| Idris Elba's Fight School | 2022 |
| Concrete Cowboy | 2021 |
| Elba vs. Block | 2020 |
| Turn Up Charlie | 2019 |
| Yardie | 2018 |
| In the Long Run | 2017 |
| Guerrilla | 2017 |
| Five by Five | 2017 |
| 100 Streets | 2016 |
| Beasts of No Nation | 2015 |
| Idris Elba: No Limits | 2015 |
| Mandela, My Dad and Me | 2015 |
| Cut from a Different Cloth | 2015 |
| No Good Deed | 2014 |
| Idris Elba's How Clubbing Changed the World | 2012 |
| Demons Never Die | 2011 |
| Milk & Honey | 2011 |
| How Hip Hop Changed the World | 2011 |
| Legacy | 2010 |
| Luther | 2010 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 2016 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated |
| 2016 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie | Nominated |
| 2016 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture | Nominated |
| 2014 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama | Nominated |
| 2014 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated |
| 2014 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Nominated |
| 2012 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Won |
| 2012 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Nominated |
| 2011 | Emmy | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated |
| 2011 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated |
| 2011 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie | Nominated |
