Trivia

Is an only child of African immigrants to England. His father was from Sierra Leone and his mother was from Ghana. His name is of Krio African origin.

Nominated for the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series category for his role as Lenny Charles in The Big C (2010), but lost out to Justin Timberlake.

He broke a land speed record, drove a dragster, and piloted an airplane in his miniseries Idris Elba: No Limits (2015). An avid rally fan, he competed in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship as well as starred in the miniseries, where he races a rally car with help from Ari Vatanen.

Disc jockey under the name "Big Driis the Londoner".

He co-produced and performed the intro on rapper Jay-Z's album "American Gangster" (2007).

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama. He is an actor in London, England.

Became a father for the second time at age 41 when his girlfriend Naiyana Garth gave birth to their son Winston Elba on April 17, 2014.

In the 1980s, he worked for Ford of Britain, as did his father who worked for the Ford company for 25 years; in 2019, he became the spokesperson for Ford's electric vehicles.

For his work in Beasts of No Nation (2015), he's the first (and, as 2016, the only) winner of the SAG award for Best Supporting Actor in a motion picture not to receive an Academy Award nomination for the same performance.

Has been a huge fan of Arsenal Football Club since age 15. His father is a supporter of Manchester United Football Club (interview on arsenal.com website February 2010).

Former member of the National Youth Music Theatre.

Revealed (by not denying) on The Graham Norton Show (2007) that he has a foot fetish. Kate Winslet discovered this while filming a love scene for The Mountain Between Us (2017).

When he first moved to New York City as a budding actor in the late 1990s, he worked for a time as a bouncer at Caroline's Comedy Club on Broadway. Has no formal acting training.

Has played a spaceship commander in two sci-fi films: Captain Janek of the spaceship Prometheus in the movie Prometheus (2012), and Captain Balthazar Edison of the starship USS Franklin in Star Trek Beyond (2016).

Has worked with Tom Hardy in the crime comedy RocknRolla (2008). Both stars appeared in the very popular Star Trek series. Hardy appeared in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) and Elba appeared in Star Trek Beyond (2016).

Has appeared on the cover of Essence magazine's "Hot Hollywood Men" issue. (April 2004)

He appeared on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) special Black Men: The Truth (2007).

Daniel Craig is the person who suggested that Idris could be the next James Bond, saying he would be fantastic. In response to fans that have suggested him as a candidate for James Bond, Idris himself responded that he has no interest in pursuing the role.

In September 2018, he was named one of Time Out magazine's 50 people for making London awesome and helping to shape London's cultural landscape to commemorate the magazine's 50th anniversary.

In April 2009, The Prince's Trust, a leading youth charity which Elba credits with beginning his career, appointed him their anti-crime ambassador. He was also appointed to serve on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute (BFI) from 2018 - 2022.

On June 23, 2016, Elba, along with Sir John Hurt, Helena Bonham Carter, Keira Knightley and Cara Delevingne, announced his support for the vote to remain in the European Union (EU) for the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.

First met his wife-to-be model Sabrina Dhowre Elba at a party while shooting The Mountain Between Us (2017). On February 10, 2018, the couple announced their engagement in London (UK) and married on April 26, 2019 in a secret wedding ceremony in Marrakesh.

Not only had he and fiancee model Sabrina Dhowre Elba attended the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018, but Idris also DJ'd the reception at the invitation of Harry and Meghan delivering a customized playlist as ordered by the bride.

On March 16, 2020, Elba said that he and his wife model Sabrina Dhowre Elba had tested positive for COVID-19 among the pandemic. During the quarantine period, he noted that he had suffered from asthma all his life, placing him in the high-risk category of the disease.

Pictured as the character Krall on one of a set of 18 British commemorative postage stamps issued 13 November 2020, celebrating the "Star Trek" television and film franchise. Stamps were issued as highlighting stamps, honoring captains and crew members; and 6 stamps in a single souvenir sheet, highlighting heroes and villains. All stamps were nondenominated and marked first class (76p on day of issue). Others honored by this set are William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula, Jason Isaacs, Leonard Nimoy, Marina Sirtis, Alexander Siddig, Dominic Keating, Sonequa Martin-Green, Shazad Latif, Simon Pegg, Tom Hardy, Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, and Alice Eve.

His films have grossed over $9.8 billion worldwide, including over $3.6 billion in North America.

Was on the Time 100, a list of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. (2016)

Named one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in the World. (May 2007)

Is the only male that has ever appeared on the cover of Maxim magazine. (2015)

Chosen by People magazine as the Sexiest Man Alive on November 5, 2018.

Admires Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep.

Friends with Jamie Foxx and Chiwetel Ejiofor.