Whenever we hear Idris Elba, we hear “Luther” or “Stringer Bell,” two of his most iconic roles. He started his career in the mid-1990s but was still able to resonate with audiences. Yes, it is Elba’s doing!
Elba’s career took off as soon he started playing diverse roles like a villain or showing off his comedic talent. However, it was not easy.
It might not be a scintilla of what he has achieved till now, but we have come up with a list of Idris Elba’s five best roles that defined him as what he is today.
Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog (2022- present)
His latest comeback as Knuckles in Sonic 3 is the talk of the town. The most famous game adaptation franchise has raised the bar of its fame to another level, and Idris Elba was proudly a part of it.
Elba has lent his voice to several other animated films projects such as Zootopia and Finding Dory, but since it is his second chance at Knuckles, Elba is happy to embrace his jocose side along with Jim Carrey as Robotnik.
Sonic 3 has gained a 7.1 rating on IMDb and 87 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Luther in Luther (2010-2019)
The grey coat is an unmatched identity of Luther which Elba played till its fifth and final season in 2019. He was again seen in its titular project in 2023 which was a film continuation of the same series.
Luther showed an unwavering dedication to his job which made the viewers think twice about their daily routine items like bedrooms, curtains or even buses where they might find a serial killer lurking.
Elba marvellously portrayed the character where going in and out of the darkness and light became an obsession. He wasn’t someone flawless, but he had a splendid ability to bend the laws to hunt down criminals.
The character earned him a Golden Globe award for Best Actor and a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor for Primetime Emmy awards, an 8.4 rating on IMDb in Luther and an 88 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Heimdall in Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
“You’re on a planet surrounded by doorways. Go through one”, a dialogue said by Heimdall to Thor when he asks about a way to escape.
Elba exclaimed that he enjoyed playing the role since he was happy to be part of the Marvel Universe. Also, the reason for his happiness was that his versatility shone, making him an apt choice for other diverse projects despite his small role as Heimdall.
Keeping the racism controversy aside for the said role, the movie earned a rating of 7.9 on IMDB and 93 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
It was a hard decision to choose between Rufus Buck in The Harder They Fall (2021) or Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013) but we went on to include the latter.
He played a fictional role in the former one while a real-life character in Mandela. Why Mandela was special for Idris Elba? Because it changed the perspective of life for him. He did his role with integrity and sensitivity that wired a true sense of humanity into him, changing him thoroughly.
Elba tried to be as truthful to his role as possible, starting from his voice, giving his own fusion of West African touch along with the inspiration and blessings of Mandela himself, who wanted to serve humanity. Elba personified it respectfully.
The movie got a rating of 7.1 on IMDb and 61 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stringer Bell in The Wire (2002-2004)
When it comes to managing the drug business smoothly, it is Stringer Bell, excellently played by Idris Elba. He was cold and intelligent, the mastermind behind all the interpretations of the drug market economics. Only Elba could have pulled off such a role flawlessly.
His wisdom, or should we say ruthless pragmatism, was something that viewers could not help but fall in love with. Despite being a bad guy, ordering death for people and when needed, torturing them, he became a ‘one-man show’ for three straight seasons.
At the end of the day, it was business. Elba surely bagged an indelible role for a lifetime. The series was rated a thumping 9.3 on IMDb while scoring 87 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.