Idris Elba has shared that he’s planning to make Africa his home within the next decade, and it’s all part of a big career shift he has in mind.
Known for his roles across both film and television, as well as famously losing out to Jeremy Clarkson for the UK’s “sexiest man” title, Elba is now looking at an exciting new chapter.
He’s been incredibly busy with various projects, including series like Hijack and Knuckles, as well as films like Above the Below and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Recently, however, Elba told the BBC that he wants to help foster growth in Africa’s film industry, and he plans to relocate to the continent “in the next five, 10 years.”
While speaking in Accra, Ghana, he expressed: “I would certainly consider settling down here; not even consider, it’s going to happen.”
“I’m here to bolster the film industry – that is a 10-year process – I won’t be able to do that from overseas. I need to be in-country, on the continent.”
“I’m going to live in Accra, I’m going to live in Freetown, I’m going to live in Zanzibar. I’m going to try and go where they’re telling stories – that’s really important.”
Elba’s goal includes setting up film studios across various African locations. Earlier this year, the BBC reported that he’d been granted land in Zanzibar for a new studio project.
The actor also envisions a studio in Ghana and has spent the past few years working on plans. Additionally, he has dreams of building a “smart city” on an island off Sierra Leone. He’s already partnered with Octopus Energy to install wind turbines and solar panels for sustainable energy there.
With so many big ideas, it’s easy to see why he feels the need to be on the continent, rather than working from afar.
Africa’s largest country, Nigeria, already has a prominent film industry—widely known as “Nollywood”—but Elba’s plan to establish studios across other regions could make a huge impact on the African film industry as a whole.
Hopefully, he’ll still manage to appear in a few projects here and there, as it would be a shame for audiences to see much less of him.
In recent years, Elba has also made waves as a “royal DJ,” having DJed at Prince Harry’s wedding. He once recalled a harrowing encounter in which he nearly “lost my fking life” while intervening in a situation outside a nightclub, which led to someone pulling a gun on him.
