Idris Elba

Date of Birth	6 September 1972 , Hackney, London, England, UK
Birth Name	Idrissa Akuna Elba
Nickname	DJ Big Driis
Height	6' 2¾" (1.9 m)

Biography

Idris Elba is an English television, theatre, and film actor.

He was born an only child and grew up in London. His father is from Sierra Leone and worked at a Ford car factory. His mother is from Ghana and did clerical work.

Idris went to school in Canning Town, where he first became involved in acting. He gained a place in the National Youth Music Theatre - thanks to a £1,500 Prince's Trust grant.

He began auditioning for television parts in his early twenties. He has starred in both British and American productions. One of his first acting roles was in the UK soap opera Family Affairs (1997). His breakthrough role came when he landed a starring role on the U.S. TV show The Wire (2002).