Idris Elba plays Madiba in the movie, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom this Thursday, 20 July at 8:30PM on e.tv and on Friday, 21 July at 9:15PM on eMovies+.
The film chronicles the late Nelson Mandela's life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
Here are eight things you might not have known about Idris Elba:
1. Elba was born in Essex, England and his parents are both African - his father, Winston, from Sierra Leone and his mother, Eve, from Ghana.
2. Early on in his career he was in one episode of Absolutely Fabulous, and Patsy said he looked like Sean Connery.
3. He’s not only an amazing actor, he’s also a music business heavyweight. To make ends meet at the beginning of his career in the States, Elba DJ'd at New York dives and still DJ's in clubs all over the world. His stage name is Big Driis the Londoner.
4. He also co-produced the song Intro on Jay Z's 2007 album American Gangster.
5. He directed and starred in Mumford & Sons' music video for the single Lover of the Light.
6. He’s done some amazing voice-overs, including the tiger, Shere Khan, in John Favreau’s Jungle Book and Fluke, a sea lion with a Cockney accent in Finding Dory.
7. He’s a soccer fan and an Arsenal supporter.
8. Idris has been married twice and has a daughter (Isan) with his first wife, Hanne Norgaard, and a son (Winston Elba) with his ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth.
Set your reminders and be sure not to miss Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom on Thursday, 20 July at 8:30PM on e.tv and on Friday, 21 July at 9:15PM on eMovies+.