On Saturday night, Idris Elba made history and picked up two individual SAG Awards, one for his performance in Beasts of No Nation and one for Luther. He is the first man in the history of the SAGs to pull off this feat, although Helen Mirren was the first (and before now, only) person to pull that off. We could chalk up these victories as SAG union members trying to make it right for Idris after he was snubbed for an Oscar nomination, but I think that’s unfair to Idris. He’s really, really popular and his fellow actors enjoy him and want him to succeed, and he has been on a hot streak of interesting and challenging performances. What sucks is that the SAGs are seen as one of the biggest indicators for how the Oscars will go down, and so Best Supporting Actor is just up in the air now. Idris isn’t even nominated. It’s awful.
Idris is still a class act though. He didn’t have to make some huge statement about #OscarsSoWhite and he didn’t. When he came out to present the clip from Beasts of No Nation, he merely said “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV.” That’s it – he didn’t have to bash everyone over the head with it, just one sentence and we know exactly how he feels. When he was on the red carpet, he was suave, confident and happy too. Giuliana Rancic was practically drooling over him, asking him if he’s okay being seen as a sex symbol. He said: “It’s nice to be described as sexy, isn’t it? It’s a compliment. What can I say? It’s cool.” He was so cool, I’m getting upset all over again because he should be James Bond, g—damn it.
Idris tweeted this on Sunday following his double-win. So lovely. Also: his date to the SAGs was his teenage daughter.
You wait for one bus and TWO come along at the same time. Life innit. @SAGawards Thank you. Saaaaaaaagyyyyyy!! pic.twitter.com/XJvtKqJb7B
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) January 31, 2016
Photos courtesy of WENN.
On one hand, I’m absolutely game for more Idris recognition. On the other, the last Luther season was TERRIBLE.
Was it only 2 episodes? Because that’s all I have and it felt short and so rushed in every aspect.
No to him as Bond honestly he’s too good for it
Yeah, just the two. Felt a little like the writers just phoned it in knowing people would tune in anyway (which they did of course, because Idris Elba.)
It’s always been a formulaic show, but the casting is good enough that it never really hindered the show. But the two-episode structure didn’t really allow for any of the characters or relationships to develop, and the writers just plain weren’t good enough to think of a new plot line.
Exactly so. Initially the race-against-time to find the criminal showed promise, but I really wasn’t a fan of the horror-like elements that cropped up.
It was the interaction between Luther and Rose Leslie’s character that kept me watching. Like you say, the casting was their strong suit.
The very recent two episode one or the melodramatic S3 where they killed off Justin and Idris wept in the rain? If the latter, I concur. But the recent one was better, if not at the level of the first two seasons.
Regardless of the Oscars disaster, I’m chuffed he won because I like his style of physical acting. Am developing a personal theory that British awards all go to the presentational chaps, which is why I am constantly moaning and saying they chose wrong.
Also, Giuliana Rancic has nothing on the British lady MPs when he spoke in Parliament the other week. The room was literally a damp puddle of squeals. It was most amusing!
Damp Puddle of Squeals should be a band name.
There’s a VERY funny picture somewhere, with him surrounded by all the women MPs in the committee room. All the men SHOVED to the back. Hang on, I’ll find it…
… it’s on his Twitter, not very far down: http://twitter.com/idriselba.
Sixer, that is hilarious! Thanks for the link. 😉
That twitter pic is the whole world and then some. It looks like a vintage Beetles photo lol.
The writing mught not have been great but his performance was. Actors have won on less befote.
Seeing my first “Luther” I was impressed with how different he looked and sounded from on “The Office.”
Very physical, uses space a lot, looks and sounds so different.
That’s called acting. I’d love to see what he’d do with the Bond persona even if it’s beneath him as an actor.
He’d blow everyone away.
Yayyyy Idris. Agreed on the fact that he should be Bond. Ugh
Like I’ve said before in comments about the Oscars….tv seem light years ahead of movies at this point. Hell during the show SAGsSOBlack was a trending topic.
Also Jacob Tremblay’s picture with Idris is adorable. Ugh the kid is so cute meeting his idols I can’t take it
He is too old for the Bond franchise. He is the perfect age now but Craig has one more movie, so the Bond with a new actor will happen 4-5 years from now and then they needs someone who can do at least 3-4 movies. They need someone who is currently in the early 30s.
Looking at him made me remember trash day is tomorrow and I must roll the totes out to the street. Thanks, garbage truck man!
Are you ok being seen as a sex symbol? What a stupid question. I don’t know how these actors keep a straight face sometimes. Anyway, congrats to him and his daughter is very pretty.
Exactly, they should get an oscar for keeping their composure making it down the red carpet line, answering the same question over and over again.
ITA – you can see some of them internally roll their eyes at some of the questions they get asked. You clearly need to have a sense of humour on the red carpet and on the junket tours.
I’d forgotten he had a teenage daughter, i know his GF (and mother to his son) is in her 20s.
It’s true that it’s a stupid question but I’m sure somewhere in the world there’s an actor or actress (coughSeanPenncough) who would have zero sense of humor about it. At least Idris played it off lightly and showed that he’s okay with idiotic questions, lol.
Also, hot damn he is getting more gorgeous as time goes by, and his daughter is so lovely! That’s a good gene pool right there.
I hear you but what do you expect from these interviewers? They’re not interested in celebs take on Flint, for example, nor are many of the viewers, I’m guessing.
I think if you’re on the red carpet you have to brace yourself for the stupid and shallow and just roll with it, as he did.
He is lovely and so is his daughter. Can you imagine him at school functions? Hello.
My question would be: “If I won the lottery, could I buy you? Please nicely?”
See? Now that’s an intelligent question!
I can’t think of anything else worth asking, to be honest.
I could follow up with: “Do you mind ball gags?”
Otherwise, I have nothing to add.
And I can see back lash huge asking that, if you think through asking it to Idris Elba. I get its a joke but a lot wouldn’t especially coming from Giuliania.
Um… I was joking?!
@sixer I know you were I get the joke and I understand why you’d say it but if you said that in a red carpet interview there would be backlash. Joke or not. Which is why they wouldn’t ask it. And they ask stuff like is it fun being a sex symbol which is similar.
At least she didn’t ask him to stick his hands in the mani-cam.
She should ask him to stick something else in the mani-cam…
I’m going to let myself out now ok bye I don’t regret anything, just a little but not a lot.
@Lizzie OMG lmao 😂😂😂
@Lizzie
WORD.
I don’t understand why people keep claiming he won because of the Oscars. Nominations came out a couple of weeks. SAG voting was probably closed or most votes were in by the time nominations were announced. That’s the one thing I hate about the Oscar controversy. Everytime a person of color wins or nominated they will be dismissed as a response to the Oscars.
SAG voting didn’t close until Noon the day before the awards but I agree that his performances were strong and the wins earned.
To be fair, there’s always a dismissal of some kind when a person of color wins. Even going as far back as when Denzel and Halle Berry won Oscars on the same night. I remember the ranting and ravings about a PC win after Viola won the Emmy last year as well.
At this point, it will be a good business and marketing decision to make him the next Bond. I think the curiosity will get the best of people. There will be so much publicity already built in.
But if I were Idris I would not do it until they get better screen writers, especially not the ones from Spectre.
I loved Casino Royale, that was the only Bond film I was impressed with.
I hope he wont become the next bond. I’m so bored by Bond and would much rather see him in a variety of other projects than the same old boring boring Bond movies.
Only one I somewhat liked was Casino Royal and only because of Eva.
I agree ladies! Casino Royale all the way and lets not forget Mads!
She was amazing! Still watch ocasionally just to see her. Best bond girl ever.
He dresses so well. Just perfect tailoring. I need to watch this man’s work.
Start with his work in the HBO series The Wire as Stringer Bell – he has been my one and only since way back. He is very confident but humble – a combo not often found in leading men of any profession. I have a type and he’s it.
thanks, I will!
He Is sexy and attractive but what a stupid ass question. I got as far as his acceptance speech which was eloquent then left the show for a movie. Hate these self congratulatory award shows, but t is Hollywood.
so very sexy!
Words can’t express how happy I am that he won those awards! They are long overdue for him, and really he is a class act. I also love how he stood up for the young man in his film who has been overlooked. It really shows what a class act he is, and that he is a performer first.
His daughter is lovely and i love what a proud daddy he is, makes him so much sexier, which I didn’t think was possible. I swear every time he popped up on screen I just smiled. Like face hurt smiles. I just love him.
Still beyond angry that Stallone is up for Idris’ Oscar! So insane. That statue BELONGS to Idris.
And finally my god he looks goooooood! Zegna did right by him or he did right by them. But way to bring back the three piece perfectly tailored suit!
I’m so happy for Idris, he so deserved them!!!
I love him.
I like him as an actor and think he is amazingly talented. He was totally robbed of an Oscar nod. I have to admit though, as a sex symbol, he doesn’t do it for me. (I’m more of a Omari Hardwick girl.)
I’m glad he won well deserved Bravo!
Abraham Atta was brilliant, he actually hands down gave the best performance I’ve seen of any actor in any movie I saw last year and so far and I wish he got more attention.
I love watching movies and see one every two weeks.
I agree. Was Abraham even nominated by SAG for lead actor in the movie? If not, I don’t understand. His acting was simply amazing. He blew me away in the movie. It is the performance that has stayed with me the most in the past twelve months.
He oughta know.
Love that man!!!
“Life innit”. Ha! He’s such a Cockney/wide boy.
Perhaps the Oscars debacle will ultimately benefit Idris. Winning two SAGs plus the Oscars snub will hopefully bring him to the attention of casting directors/producers in future and he’ll be offered some great roles.
Idris like a fine wine.. keeps getting better with age! I could listen to him read the phone book 🙂 And love him in everything he is in! Would love to see him and Ruth Wison paired in something again.. love Luther and Alice!
It is, Idris, but also overrated.