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Actor Idris Elba talks to Davina Morris about love, romance and being sexy!

IT’S hard having to crush people’s dreams. But for all you ladies who idolized Idris Elba, thinking he’s a single man, news flash: he’s not. The hunky British actor is actually all loved up with a special someone, and says he has been for a few years. Still, he’s quite a private man so he didn’t dish too much detail. But he did reveal that while he remains miffed about his sex symbol status, he’s glad to know that the lady in his life thinks he’s pretty hot. Asked if he feels sexy, he laughed:

“My girlfriend thinks I’m sexy and that’s the most important thing! If she didn’t, then I wouldn’t feel that sexy.”

Revealing that they’ve been “together for a few years,” Elba says he’s happy. But the once-married (now divorced) star has no plans to do the nuptials thing for a second time.

“Definitely not,” he says. “I’ve been married before – been there, done that, not again.”

Well, he’s clearly content as he is. And why shouldn’t he be? Successful acting career, burgeoning music career, a legion of female admirers... You have to wonder: does it get tiresome being a sex symbol?

He laughs: “I’m not at the forefront of that – I don’t really read things about myself. I guess if people have read a lot of articles about me and they’ve seen the term ‘sexy Idris Elba’ pop up a few times, they might be tired of reading that description time and time again! But from my perspective, it’s not tiresome because I’m not reading that all the time.”

Well, he’ll no doubt expand his female fanbase with the release of his new EP, High Class Problems Vol. 1. Under his musical moniker Driis, Elba has already earned praise for his sound, which fuses soul, reggae and much more.

To most, he’s better known for his acting career, having played the role of Stringer Bell in the hit US drama The Wire, as well as starring in films including American Gangster and Obsessed (opposite Beyoncé Knowles). Now he’s making his official foray into the world of music (he DJ’d in many London and New York clubs throughout the ‘90s), does he think he’ll garner even more fans?

“Wow, I hope so! There’s nothing wrong with having more fans. In life, if you can touch 10 people, that’s good, but if you can touch 100 people, that’s even better. So I’m happy to have my fanbase grow.”

Still, he admits it was nerve-wracking to let people hear his music for the first time.

“For a long time, I’d been in my bedroom making music, without having anyone hear it. So now, it’s like letting my baby go out into the world for the first time. And for someone like me, who happens to be known for something other than music, you’ll always get people who don’t like when you do something else. Some people are like, ‘I like him as an actor – I don’t wanna hear him do music!’ But I don’t let that affect me. There will always be people who hate for hate sake.

“As an actor, I know there were people who looked at me and were like, ‘Why did he get that role?’ So my skin is thick. I don’t let that kind of negativity bother me. You really can’t please all the people all the time.”

And fans of his acting needn’t fear. He’s not quitting the day job in favour of his music career.

“My career as an actor is definitely on the up. I’m definitely not gonna forfeit good acting opportunities for music. But because music is so real to me, I’m really committed to the process of making music, and so I don’t like to juggle the two. When I’m making an album, I’m making an album. And when I’m making a film, I’m making a film.”

Currently in London filming for the upcoming BBC crime drama, Luther, Elba – sadly – won’t have much time for romance come Valentine’s Day.

“I’m gonna be working or be in my trailer so there’ll be no romance for me, unfortunately!”

But Elba was keen to show some love for a certain newspaper that’s very dear to his heart…

“The Voice was always a big, big paper in my house when I was growing up. My mum always used to say, ‘When are you gonna be in The Voice?’ So when I was first in The Voice, she was over the moon. I’m sure she’s still got that paper! But I just wanna say I’m really proud of your paper. Respect.”

High Class Problems Vol.1 is available to download now on iTunes, released on Hevlar Recordings

Published: 08 February 2010
Issue: 1409

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