IDRIS ELBA Bringing THE BANG

WITH A TENSE NEW THRILLER AND RECURRENT BOND WHISPERS, HOLLYWOOD'S SMOOTHEST STAR ISN'T SLOWING DOWN

- Olivia Harrowell

Playing a world leader is often considered a prestigious and challenging role for actors, so the fact that Idris Elba has recently taken on two of them in back-to-back projects speaks volumes. Adding to a résumé already rich with film, TV, music and even DJ work, the 53-year-old actor starred as a fictional UK prime minister in Heads of State alongside John Cena earlier this year and, more recently, has taken a turn as the president of the United States in A House of Dynamite - director Kathryn Bigelow's latest taut political thriller.

Speaking to People magazine ahead of the latter’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, Elba admitted that, as a British actor, he originally felt uneasy about taking on a role as an American president. “I was super conscious of it,” he said. “But... my grandad's American, and I was raised in America for a long time, so I kind of got over it.

"Playing the president was a challenge, but... I wanted to bring a human side to this character, and I hope the audience enjoy that."