Idris Elba quotes

Idris Elba is a British actor, producer, and musician known for his powerful performances in film and television. Notable roles include Stringer Bell in "The Wire" and DCI John Luther in "Luther." He has received critical acclaim and several awards for his versatile talent. Here are 67 of his quotes:

The only thing I change mainly is my sneakers. I love sneakers. But everything's sort of black or jeans. Jeans, always.

Idris Elba

It's really funny because the same people who loved me as Stringer Bell were the same people that were watching Daddy's Little Girls literally in tears.

Idris Elba

Waking up in TRUTH is so much better than living in a lie.

Idris Elba

I was always a real athletic kid. Then when I got older, I just figured it was part of life to keep training.

Idris Elba

I'm rebelling against being handed a career, like, 'You're the next this; you're the next that.' I'm not the next anything, I'm the first me. I can't be myself, I can't just be Idris Elba. But that's just the nature of the business.

Idris Elba

The less I talk about being black, the better.

Idris Elba

Are there differences between black actors' opportunities and white actors' opportunities? Yes, there are. It's been said.

Idris Elba

What really excites me in a project is when it goes in a way you haven't been before.

Idris Elba

If you go to Africa and you're white, you're probably not going to get that much work either. But the fact is that there is a longer history of black integration in the U.S. I don't have any resentment about this: I did the maths, calculated it against my ambition and decided to leave England.

Idris Elba

I would never be fearful of any character.

Idris Elba

Not obsessed with particularly Nike, but sneakers in general. I love them.

Idris Elba

Work hard, sleep less.

Idris Elba

Apparently, Daniel Craig said I'd be a great Bond. Daniel, why did you say that? Dropped me right in it! What an honor it would be, but also, what an indication of change.

Idris Elba

There has been a big debate about it: can a black man play a Nordic character?

Idris Elba

I think there's a tendency for actors like myself, and I don't mean to generalize myself, but I've played 'men's men,' if you will, characters that are simmering rage and calculated. There's a trend not to play anything that is opposed to that.

Idris Elba

I get criticized for taking roles in films like 'Ghost Rider 2', but if you look at my resume, dude, I've mixed it up as much as I can.

Idris Elba

White actors still get way more money in Hollywood. It's been that way for a very long time. I hope it'll change, but it's a matter of forcing that change.

Idris Elba

I lived in America for a long time before I started working as an actor. Some actors show up on set and have never done an American accent before, so they rely on a slew of technical mechanisms. Part of what makes an accent is understanding why people speak that way - you have to understand the culture.

Idris Elba

I'm not interested in making all-black films - I come from a very diverse culture; I want to work with every type of person. I work a lot with women executives because they seem to be a lot more open minded about that and a lot more progressive in that way.

Idris Elba

When I look at my body of work, I've played a lot of characters who are morally conflicted - 'I'm right, no I'm wrong, I don't know what to do!' I want to play more characters who don't care as much, and who aren't as measured. They are what they are, no apologies.

Idris Elba

I've never had to explain 'Prometheus' to people, ever. Most people get it.

Idris Elba

As an actor, you're trained to do the right thing, be politically correct, say your lines, say the right thing about the people you're working with.

Idris Elba