Idris Elba

British actor Idris Elba has told the BBC that he will relocate to Africa within the next decade as part of his plans to support the continent’s movie industry. The 52-year-old star of the hit series The Wire is behind nascent projects to build a film studio on the Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar as well as one in the Ghanaian capital, Accra. Born in London, Elba, whose mother is from Ghana and father from Sierra Leone, has a strong attachment to Africa. He wants to leverage his star power to back its burgeoning film business as he says it is…

Idris Elba has signed on to headline the National Film Authority of Ghana’s second annual Africa Cinema Summit, set to run from October 7 to 10 in Accra. Elba, a Golden Globe winner and chairman of the IE7 and The Akuna Group, is joined on the top billing by former Netflix exec and co-founder of Juno Studios, Fiona Lamptey, and Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The summit will once again take place at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra. The theme will be “The Relevance of Cinema in African Communities.” Organizers have said speakers…

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has held a productive meeting with renowned actor Idris Elba and his team to discuss strategies to enhance financial inclusion within Ghana’s creative arts sector. The meeting, which took place at the Jubilee House centered on the creative arts economy in Africa and the need to ensure that Ghanaian artistes are integrated into the global financial ecosystem. Dr. Bawumia lectured on the importance of providing opportunities for Ghanaian creatives to monetize their talents and receive fair compensation for their work, particularly in the international market. One of the key topics for discussion was the proposed…

In February this year, British actor Idris Elba joined thousands of Asanteman subjects and people who have travelled from far and near to pay homage to the overlord of the Ashanti Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Nana Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. The occasion was the celebration of the first Akwasidae festival for the year 2023. In a documentary recently released for the World Gold Council, the actor shared his experience of meeting the Otumfuo and being granted the rare opportunity of shaking hands with the occupant of the Golden Stool. “I don’t get stage freight but this, this was kind of nerve…

“Luther” star Idris Elba says he no longer refers to himself as a “Black actor” because the label put him in a “box” and an “obsession” with race can hinder aspirations and growth. Speaking to Esquire UK, in an interview published Wednesday, the Golden Globe winner said that while he is a prominent member of the Black community, such separatism in Hollywood can hold entertainers back. “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,” Elba told the…