Sir Idrissa Akuna Elba ( IH-driss; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor, DJ, rapper, and producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three BAFTA Awards and eight Primetime Emmy Awards. He was… Sir Idrissa Akuna Elba ( IH-driss; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor, DJ, rapper, and producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three BAFTA Awards and eight Primetime Emmy Awards. He was named in the Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World in 2016. His films have grossed over US$9.8 billion at the global box office, making him one of the top 20 highest-grossing actors. In 2025, Elba was named as the UK's ninth-most influential Black person in the 2026 Powerlist.
Elba studied acting at the National Youth Music Theatre in London. He rose to prominence playing Tim in Family Affairs, and in the USA playing Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire (2002–2004), and DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther (2010–2019), the latter of which earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film as well as four nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He was also Emmy-nominated for his guest role in Showtime comedy-drama series The Big C (2011) and for his leading role in Apple TV+ thriller series Hijack (2023). He is also known for his recurring guest role as Charles Miner in the NBC sitcom The Office (2009).
On film, Elba portrayed a ruthless and charismatic warlord in the Netflix drama Beasts of No Nation (2015) for which he received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role as well as nominations for a BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award. He portrayed Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. He has also acted in American Gangster (2007), Obsessed (2009), Prometheus (2012), Pacific Rim (2013), Star Trek Beyond (2016), Molly's Game (2017), The Dark Tower (2017), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), The Harder They Fall (2021), Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) and A House of Dynamite (2025).
Elba joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) portraying Heimdall in six films beginning with Thor (2011), as well as the DC Extended Universe playing Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad (2021). He voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia (2016), Zootopia+ (2022) and Zootopia 2 (2025), Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, Fluke in Finding Dory (both 2016), and Knuckles the Echidna in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series (2022–present), and played Man-At-Arms in Masters of the Universe (2026).
Elba made his directorial debut with Yardie (2018). He also performs as a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis or Idris and as an R&B singer. He is a co-owner of the Formula E team, Kiro Race Co.
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