This past Thursday Actor Idris Elba was the featured speaker for the Lens Project's "Artists Spotlight" series. There he spoke about his infamous role as "Stringer Bell" from the hit HBO show The Wire, how black people in film get shut out of award shows, how although he was in a Tyler Perry movie he doesn't like all of his movies, and more.
Check out a few excerpts below:
On his most prolific role as Stringer Bell on HBO’s ‘The Wire’
“I was a huge fan of Stringer Bell being killed off right at the height of his popularity. I commend the writers for a realistic view of living a life of crime…as a drug dealer you either end up dead or in prison.”
On the Golden Globes and this year’s Oscar ‘white-out’
“Halle Berry and I were the only two black actors nominated for this year’s Golden Globes (Idris for Luther and Halle for Frankie & Alice). The Oscars aren’t designed for us…let’s focus on making more films.”
On the controversy surrounding his role as Heimdall, in the upcoming “Thor”
“It’s so ridiculous. We have a man (Thor) who has a flying hammer, and wears horns on his head and yet me being an actor of African descent playing a Norse god is unbelievable? I mean, Cleopatra was played by Elizabeth Taylor and Ghandi was played by Ben Kingsley”
Does he watch any of his films?
“I don’t watch myself. It’s excruciating”
On his decision to become an actor
“My parents were hard-working and believed in security, getting that paycheck. Paul Barber (another black British actor) came to speak at my school, and I realized ‘I could do that too.’ When I told my parents I wanted to be an actor, my father said to me (at this point Idris mimics a dead-on African accent) ‘Kuna, you know actors don’t make money.’ So I got a job working at the Ford factory and after 2 years, I was like, I gotta go back to acting.” (Idris would eventually win a place in the National Youth Music Theater, thanks to a Prince’s Trust grant).
On speaking to today’s youth
“I’m just a beacon… actors and people in the film industry should speak at schools to inspire students.” Idris is the anti-crime ambassador for the Prince’s Trust grant, a U.K. based youth charity that provides workplace skills and financial support.
On being an only child
“As an only child I had a vivid imagination. My imagination gets me in trouble, it gets me awards and it gets me paychecks”
On what role he finds most challenging
“While the U.K. is known for their drama schools, they are very expensive. I wasn’t classically trained in theater, so I have a natural fear of Shakespeare. But I’d like to tackle King Lear or Othello.”
On the Spike Lee vs. Tyler Perry debate
“Can I be candid?” he asks before turning to face the audience directly. “I don’t like all of Tyler Perry’s films. Yes, I did work with Tyler for “Daddy’s Little Girls” because it portrayed a positive image of a black father. I am happy for Tyler’s success…we need Tyler Perry…by going to support his movies, we need to show economic strength. But we are also responsible for elevating film. I’m not with buffoonish characters like Madea or Big Momma.”
I agree with him somewhat about not liking all of Tyler Perry's movies. All the "Madea" movies are horrible. Madea is not funny on the big screen what so ever. On the other hand he should not turn his nose up the way that he does. I mean he did play a n*gga that had his best friend's nephew murdered in jail and then turned in his best friend. There's nothing "positive" about that. Neither was his role in The Takers. As far as the characters of "Big Mama" & "Madea" being buffoonish at least their characters are representing something positive. I never got the memo that robbing people was positive.
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