Watch Idris Elba Online

Elba started acting in secondary school with encouragement from his drama teacher, on whom he also had a crush. He got his break as a supporting cast member of UK soap opera Family Affairs, but is perhaps best known for playing Russell "Stringer" Bell, one of the major characters in the HBO drama series The Wire. He also portrayed Captain Augustin Muganza in Sometimes in April, an HBO TV movie about the Rwandan Genocide somewhat similar to Hotel Rwanda. Elba has a large female fan base following and appeared on the cover of Essence's "Hot Hollywood Men" issue, April 2004 and again in Essence's November 2005 "10 Hottest Men on the Planet" issue. He recorded the four-song EP Big Man for Hevlar Records in 2006. Elba has a daughter named Isan.