Idris Elba is doing the damn thing as the lead actor in the new movie Pacific Rim.
ICYMI, Pacific Rim is a saga about what happens when humankind and monstrous sea creatures wage war on one another. The humans rely on former robot pilots and a trainee who are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse.
But this summer blockbuster isn’t the only thing on Idris’ resume. The British hunk is also set for two other movies that are getting a lot of buzz: Mandela: Last Right To Freedom and Thor 2.
Even with all this on his plate, Idris took time to chat with our very own Sr Entertainment Editor Xilla Valentine for an exclusive interview. The two talk about working on Pacific Rim, kicking it with Kanye, Mandela, and Idris finally answers the age old question… Where the phuck is Wallace?!
Pacific Rim is a very physical role, so let’s start this off by asking what was one of the worst moments of the filming process?
Idris: Shooting the Hong Kong part was really tough. We were harnessed into a suit. You got the water, fire, screen coming at you, things moving. It was very tough, and we kept going over, over, and over it, for the little moments that he needed.
So there was a lot of complaining about the conditions on set?
Complaining? No, but it was definitely not fun.
You speak in your normal accent in this film. Is that something that you prefer to do?
I like a challenge. I’ve always liked a challenge, it’s what we do as actors, trying to be other people that we’re not. So I’ve always appreciated the challenge.
The film got a lot of love over the weekend. Kanye tweeted it was one of his favorite movies of all time. What was it like when you read that?
Yeah man, it’s a complement. I think Kanye is a visionary, a music creative as well, and artist. I think he can see how much work has gone into the film, so I think that was dope.
Your co-star Rinko Kikuchi told me you took her to see the Jay-Z and Kanye show while you were filming. Did you meet them?
Yeah, we hung out with Kanye a little bit. When he came to Toronto, he showed us a lot of love, definitely. Bringing us backstage, and just really kicked it basically, and then they did the show. It was good times.
Before the interview, I tweeted “I’m about to interview Idris,” and every lady basically wanted to know, will you marry them? Will you have their child? What is it like to get that kind of attention from all the women?
To be honest man, I try not to really see it. I mean, I’m on Twitter, but I tend not to see all of that. But ultimately, it’s a compliment to me. In my day-to-day life, I hardly see it. It’s not like I’m coming out of the airport and chicks are running at me, I don’t get that. I just don’t see it as much as people think. People have said it to me, “Oh, you’re so arrogant,” but I’m like “No, I just don’t see it.” If you read it, then you see it. But if you don’t read it, then how would you see it?
So, you just choose to stay away from all of that and focus on your career?
Yeah man, I just kick the work out. They only like me for my work. It’s not like they know me. If I stop working, they ain’t gonna love me no more, so I just keep on hustling.
Speaking of your work, you got a lot. You’re so busy this year, you got Mandela, Luther’s coming back, which I’m very excited about. You got Thor. What is it like when you look ahead and see all these projects that are coming up in the same year?
It makes me think “Yo, where have you been the last two years?” That’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been working on all these projects. It’s weird because everyone goes “you’re so busy,” but it’s ’cause they’re all coming out around the same time. It looks like I’m mad busy, which I have been. It feels good, I’m really excited about Mandela coming and Thor. It’s great to be able to have new work. Hopefully the audience appreciates the work that’s gone into it the last two years.
In the new season of Luther, Alice comes back. What was it like working with her again?
Beautiful man, I love Ruth Wilson. She’s such a great actress. She just came back like she had never left, and really tore it apart. I’m really excited to show people what she did. It was good to have her.
There were rumors about it being a movie, but then another season came through. Is a movie still in the works for that?
The movie is definitely something I’m working on now, or heading towards that. We happened to be really, really big in London last week and we’re excited about that. So hopefully, that momentum will keep it going towards a movie for next year.
I saw you tweeted the “Trouble Maker” picture for the Mandela movie. What was it like working on that accent?
Approaching every accent is always the same, you know? I learn to do my homework. With Mandela it’s slightly different, because everyone knows how he sounds and what he sounds like. So there was definitely some more detailed work to do on that. I had an interesting time working on the film. I thought it was a great script, and a great piece of material to be a part of.
Now taking on this role, it’s a lot of pressure. After you do the film, you’re going to get people saying “he doesn’t sound like Mandela,” “he doesn’t look like Mandela,” “he doesn’t do this like Mandela,” but then once Mandela saw it and he said, “I really like this, this is me,” how did that make you feel as an actor?
The pressure in the film, in the story, or in the Mandela Foundation, and his family, they all approved the script prior to even being made. They also approved the actors playing him, so that was the win for me. To even be approved at that point, because to be honest, it could’ve been ten people playing Mandela. It wouldn’t make a difference because it’s Mr. Mandela, you know? How are you going to interpret God? I’m going to get flack about what I look like, what I sound like, but if anyone’s doing that, then they’re not really watching the film.
The Wire was just recently named the best TV show of all time by Entertainment Weekly. What do you feel about that? A lot of people on Twitter want to know “Where the fuck is Wallace?”
Well, to answer number one, yeah man, I think that’s such an achievement, not for me personally, but I think for David Simon, and the creators of the show, because that is a huge accolade to accept. Behalf of them, I say thank you, we are very, very proud to be liked that much. And then number two, the answer to that question is, it’s just business.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros, THR, Twitter
