Idris Elba stopped calling himself a Black actor because it 'put him in a box'

Idris Elba has said that he will no longer refer to himself as a Black actor, after he came to the realisation that it put him “in a box.”

Elba is a hugely popular guy. In fact, there’s one role in particular fans are desperate to see him take on. You know who I’m talking about - James Bond. Just over one year ago, the franchise’s producers confessed that Elba is being considered for the role, but so too are many others. Speaking about the potential opportunity, Elba didn’t actually sound that fussed saying it’s “not a goal for my career.” At the moment though, the actor is gearing up for the release of Luther: The Fallen Sun.

Take a look at the trailer for Luther: The Fallen Sun below.

In a recent interview with Esquire UK, Elba touched upon how the way in which he thought about identity and race had changed. He explained, “If we spent half the time not talking about the differences but the similarities between us, the entire planet would have a shift in the way we deal with each other. As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth. Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be.”

He continued, “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. [...] I didn’t become an actor because I didn’t see Black people doing it and I wanted to change that. I did it because I thought that’s a great profession and I could do a good job at it. As you get up the ladder, you get asked what it’s like to be the first Black to do this or that. 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.”

Luther: The Fallen Sun will be released in select cinemas from 24 February and on Netflix on 10 March, 2023.