Biography for
Idris Elba More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

6 September 1972, Hackney, London, England, UK

Birth Name

Idrissa Akuna Elba

Nickname

DJ Big Driis

Height

6' 2¾" (1.90 m)

Spouse

Dormowa Sherman

(1997 - 2001) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Deejays under the name "Big Driis the Londoner"

Appeared on the cover of Essence's "Hot Hollywood Men" issue, April 2004.

Has a daughter, Isan Elba (born 2002) with his ex-wife. Isan lives with her mother in Atlanta.

Is an only child to a father from Sierra Leone and mother from Ghana.

Starred in the un-aired US pilot version of 'Ultraviolet'.

Appeared on the Black Entertainment Television special "Black Men:The Truth".(2007).

Co-produced a track on rapper Jay-Z's latest album 'American Gangster'.

Former member of the National Youth Music Theatre.

Personal Quotes

Stringer is very calculating and he has to be for so many reasons. He'll calculates the next steps, shipments, inventory, pays workers..all that. But the wicked part is that he can plan murders because that's a part of his business. I'll tell you, if I, Idris, had to contract for murders as part of my job, I couldn't do it because I have a heart. I have no stomach for ordering other people's deaths. Stringer just gets in there, orders the deed and bam..that's it..it's done and he doesn't think twice about it. There's no way I could be that cold. I'm also a more lively kid out there, doing stuff and I can't just do one thing forever. Stringer is committed to his job and business so much so he doesn't have much of a personal life so he's more one dimensional. As for me I have a child, a life, thirst for travel, you know I'm curious..whereas Stringer is more interested in being the best business person and his interests don't go further than that. - on the differences between him and the character of Stringer Bell from "The Wire".

"Wherever I go the real hard-core drug dealers come up to me and confide in me. I almost feel guilty turning around and saying: 'Ello, mate. My name's Idris and I'm from London.' I don't want to break the illusion." - On why he uses his American accent when talking to fans of "The Wire".

Where Are They Now

(August 2005) Currently living in New York City

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