Popular British actor Idrissa Akuna Elba popularly known in movie circles as Idris Elba has explained why he stopped describing himself as a black thespian.
Elba who also performs as a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis or Idris and as an R&B singer said while speaking in a new interview with Esquire that he just focuses on being an actor.
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, Idris Elba made the comments while opening up on racism in Hollywood.
Idris explained: ‘Racism is very real. But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be.
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”I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realised it put me in a box. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin. Rant over.’
The star continued that while he is a member of the Black community, he doesn’t put emphasis on this when it comes to his career.
”As you get up the ladder, you get asked what it’s like to be the first Black to do this or that,’ He continued.
”Well, it’s the same as it would be if I were white. It’s the first time for me. I don’t want to be the first Black. I’m the first Idris.”
