Elba, Idris 1972–

PERSONAL

Original name, Idrisa Elba; born September 6, 1972, in London, England; children: one daughter.

Addresses: Agent— International Creative Management, 10250 Constellation Way, 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067; Ken McReddie Associates, 36–40 Glasshouse St., London W1B 5DL United Kingdom.

Career: Actor. Former member of the National Youth Music Theatre. Deejays under the name "Big Driis the Londoner"; produces music demos.

Awards, Honors: Image Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 2005, for The Wire; Black Reel Award nomination, best actor—television, Image Award nomination, outstanding actor in a television movie, miniseries, or dramatic special, Vision Award nomination, best dramatic performance, 2006, all for Sometimes in April; Black Reel Award nomination, best actor, 2006, for The Gospel; Screen Actors Guild Award nomination (with others), outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, 2008, for American Gangster.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Benton, Spiders and Flies (short), 1996.

Ovronramwen, Behind the Mask (short), 1997.

Gregoire, Belle maman (also known as Beautiful Mother), AMLF, 1999.

Jam, Sorted, A Plus Entertainment, 2000.

Kimborough, Buffalo Soldiers (also known as Army Go Home! and Buffalo Soldiers—Army Go Home!), Miramax, 2001.

Aaron, One Love, Blue Dolphin Film Distribution, 2003.

Himself, "Scarface": Origins of a Hip Hop Classic (documentary; also known as Def Jam Presents … Origins of a Hip Hop Classic), Universal Studios Home Video, 2003.

Reverend Charles Frank, The Gospel, Screen Gems, 2005.

Monty, Daddy's Little Girls (also known as Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls"), Lionsgate, 2007.

Ben, The Reaping, Warner Bros., 2007.

Stone, 28 Weeks Later (also known as 28 semanas despues), Fox Atomic, 2007.

Tango, American Gangster, Universal, 2007.

Quentin Whitfield, Jr., This Christmas, Screen Gems, 2007.

Himself, "28 Weeks Later": The Rage Is Back (documentary short), Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2007.

Himself, "28 Weeks Later": The Infected (documentary short), Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2007.

Himself, Code Red: The Making "28 Weeks Later" (documentary short), Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2007.

Detective Winn, Prom Night, Screen Gems, 2008.

Mumbles, RocknRolla, Warner Bros., 2008.

Larry, The Human Contract, 2008.

Television Appearances; Series:

Charlie, Bramwell, PBS, 1995.

Officer Chiswick, The Governor, YTV, 1995.

Matt Gregory, Dangerfield, BBC, 1999.

Russell "Stringer" Bell, The Wire, HBO, 2002–2004.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Charlie, "Blood, Sweat and Tears: Parts 1&2," Silent Witness, BBC and Arts and Entertainment, 1997.

Vaughan Rice, Ultraviolet, Channel 4 and Sci–Fi Channel, 1998.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Augustin, Sometimes in April (also known as Quelques jours en Avril), HBO, 2005.

Paul, All in the Game, ITV, 2006.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Making "Sometime in April," HBO, 2005.

The Black Movie Awards, TNT, 2005.

BET Hip–Hop Awards, Black Entertainment Television, 2006.

An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder, 2006.

Tapping "The Wire," FX Channel (UK), 2007.

Black Men: The Truth, 2007.

Presenter, The BET Honors, Black Entertainment Television, 2008.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Parachute instructor, " Fortuosity," 2point4 Children, BBC, 1994.

Pizza delivery man, "Double Duty," Space Precinct, syndicated, 1994.

Hilton, "Sex," Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab), BBC1, 1995.

Pest controller, "Heartstones," Ruth Rendell Mysteries, PBS, 1996.

Raffy, "Simisola: Part One," Ruth Rendell Mysteries, PBS, 1996.

Tim Webster, Family Affairs, Channel 5, 1997.

PC Brian Rawlinson, "Neighbours from Hell," Verdict, YTV, 1998.

PC Paul Fraser, In Defence, Granada, 2000.

Lance Corporal Frost, London's Burning, ITV, 2001.

Lonnie Liston, "3 Dawg Night," Law & Order, NBC, 2001.

Robert Gabriel, "Payment in Blood," The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, 2002.

Mac Boone, "My Alibi," Hack, CBS, 2002.

Smitty, "Sacrifice Fly," Soul Food, Showtime, 2003.

Angelo Sedaris, "The Best Defense," CSI: Miami, CBS, 2003.

Himself, "Kitten of the Month," Rap City, Black Entertainment Television, 2003.

"All in a Panic," Girlfriends, UPN, 2005.

Hodge, "To Serve and to Protect," Jonny Zero, Fox, 2005.

Tavis Smiley, PBS, 2007.

Carla, "Mad About You," Queens Supreme, CBS, 2007.

Stage Appearances:

Paul, Battieman Blues,Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, 1993.

Achilles, Troilus and Cressida, American Place Theatre, New York City, 2001.

Cody, This Is How It Goes, Donmar Warehouse Theatre, London, 2005.

Also appeared in Coming Home, Red Lion Pub Theatre, London.

RECORDINGS

Music Videos:

The Isley Brother's "Just Came Here to Chill," 2006.

Styles P featuring Swizz Beatz's "Blow Your Mind," 2007.

Also appeared in Angie Stone's "I Wanna Thank Ya."

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Contemporary Black Biography, Vol. 49, Thompson Gale, 2005.

Periodicals:

Ebony, December, 2005, p. 92.

Entertainment Weekly, March 25, 2005, p. 65; February 23, 2007, p. 31.

Essence, December, 2003, p. 146; November, 2007, p. 95.