11 Unforgettable Idris Elba Movies and TV Shows to Add to Your List
- Idris Elba is a London-born actor who is building an entertainment studio in Africa, starting in Zanzibar, Tanzania, to transform the country’s entertainment scene.
Idris Elba has become a phenomenon over the last decade, becoming one of the most recognizable stars across TV and film. The London-born actor has come a long way since his early days in the industry, starring in soap operas like Family Affairs (1997) and the serial drama Ultraviolet (1998), cementing his spot as an A-list celebrity.
Elba is even further capitalizing on his talents and building an entertainment studio in Africa beginning in Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous province of Tanzania, which was announced in October 2024 . The movie star's parents immigrated from Africa, fueling his mission to transform the country's entertainment scene.
The rapper's resume is extensive and is only getting longer with anticipated films like Zootopia 2 (November 2025) and Masters of the Universe (June 2026). To narrow it down, here are 11 unforgettable movies and TV shows that Elba has starred in that we suggest adding to your list ASAP.
Luther (2010-2019)
Image Credit: The British Broadcasting Company.
One of Elba's more popular projects was his starring role in the psychological thriller series Luther . The Turn Up Charlie star led the show from 2010 to 2019, playing John Luther, a homicide detective with unconventional methods of capturing serial killers and sexual predators.
Elba's performance was applauded by critics throughout the show's nearly 10-year run on BBC America, as were his co-stars Ruth Wilson, Warren Brown, Dermot Crowley, and Michael Smiley. Elba reprised his role in the film Luther: The Fallen Sun , which premiered on Netflix in February 2023.
In April 2024, Elba teased the possibility of another Luther film in an interview with Collider . "The chances are good. The chances are very good, actually. I don't want to make any exclusive announcements, but it's looking good for old Johnny Boy," he told the outlet.
Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Image Credit: Netflix.
Another Netflix original film Elba stars in is Beasts of No Nation , where he portrays a warlord who trains a young orphan (Abraham Attah) to be a soldier when a civil war breaks out in Africa. The cast includes Emmanuel Affadzi, Ricky Adelayitar, Andrew Adote, and Ama K. Abebrese.
Elba earned himself a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role for his part in the 2015 film, which he later admitted he struggled to distance himself from the darkness of the role after filming wrapped.
"I'm one of these actors who I absorb my character," Elba told Entertainment Weekly in April 2024. "I absorb their experiences, so I can understand a little bit. I had to watch hours and read stuff that was just so disturbing.
"My nightmares were varied. It was either me in these nightmares, or it was the Commandant, and it was all this vivid imagery that I was exposed to," he added.
Thor (2011, 2013, 2017, 2022)
Image Credit: Marvel Entertainment/Paramount Pictures/Marvel Studios.
Elba is famously known for playing Heimdall in the Thor films opposite Chris Hemsworth, who portrays the titular superhero. The last movie was 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder , with a star-studded cast including Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Russell Crowe, and Dave Bautista.
No official announcements have been made about whether the franchise will get a fifth movie . However, in a June 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly , Hemsworth said he'd only continue if the plot is "unpredictable" to avoid exhausting fans with a subpar sequel. So, we'll have to wait and see if Elba's character makes another appearance on-screen.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Image Credit: Keith Bernstein/Pathe/Videovision Entertainment Production/Distant Horizon/Origin Pictures.
In 2013, Elba blew fans away with his outstanding portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom , based on the South African president's 1994 autobiographical book, Long Walk to Freedom . It chronicles Mandela's life from childhood to becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa.
Mandela also stars Naomie Harris, Terry Pheto, and Robert Hobbs, among others. Elba was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, and he even got applause from Mandela himself , who saw some of the film before his death on December 5, 2013 – the same day the film premiered.
The Mountain Between Us (2017)
Image Credit: Kimberley French/Chernin Entertainment.
Elba teamed up with Kate Winslet for the 2017 drama The Mountain Between Us , where they play strangers leaning on each other to survive after their plane crashes in the remote snow-covered mountains. Beau Bridges and Dermot Mulroney also star in the film.
The Obsessed star spoke about the experience to The Sydney Morning Herald in October 2017, revealing that he and Winslet got very close during filming. "We had a relationship – I don't mean in the sense that we had a real relationship, but we went through the beats of a relationship," Elba told the publication.
"We had to share decisions about scenes in a way that a couple would make a decision about how to buy a sofa for the flat. Her and I have real memories of being really freezing in eight feet of snow…It's a very real experience," the actor concluded.
American Gangster (2007)
Image Credit: Scott Free Productions/Universal Pictures/Imagine Entertainment/Working Title Films/Relativity Media/RLJE Films.
While he didn't have a leading role, Elba plays a part in the critically acclaimed crime drama American Gangster , which premiered in theaters in 2007. The film is about a New York City police officer (Russell Crowe) tasked with taking down a known drug dealer ( Denzel Washington ).
Elba portrays a dealer named Tango, who is gunned down by Washington's character in a memorable scene. Director Ridley Scott revealed in a November 2021 interview with MailOnline that Elba thought he was actually shot in the head after feeling the recoil from the prop gun, adding to the realistic effect of the scene.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Image Credit: DC Comics/Warner Bros./DC Studios/Peter Safran/Atlas Entertainment/Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Entertainment/RatPac Entertainment/The Safran Company.
In 2021, Elba took on the role of supervillain Bloodsport in the second Suicide Squad film, a part reserved initially for Will Smith's Deadshot, which he plays in the 2016 movie. Elba's character ends up leading the Suicide Squad as captain alongside Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Peacemaker (John Cena), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and others.
Elba revealed to ET in August 2021 that he didn't want to take over Smith's character as Deadshot and was happy when director James Gunn offered him Bloodsport instead. The recasting was reportedly due to scheduling conflicts on Smith's side, but Gunn left the door open for Deadshot to possibly return in future films.
Takers (2010)
Image Credit: Suzanne Tenner/Screen Gems/Grand Hustle Records/Rainforest Films.
Not too distant from Elba's supervillain role in The Suicide Squad , he plays a bank robber who lives a cushy lifestyle off his crimes in the 2010 film Takers . Elba's character is among a group of thieves portrayed by Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen, Paul Walker, Chris Brown, and Michael Ealy.
The movie's reviews are a mixed bag, but the A-list cast makes it likable and, according to Elba, enjoyable to film. "We all got on with each other off-set," Elba said in an August 2010 interview . "You'd suspect there might be lots of egos, but there weren't – we all snapped on each other the whole time. And that fuels the chemistry on the screen."
No Good Deed (2014)
Image Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Screen Gems/Will Packer Productions.
Another highly suggested watch is No Good Deed , in which Elba plays an escaped convict who charms his way into a stranger's (Taraji P. Henson) home and terrorizes her family. Leslie Bibb, Kate del Castillo, and Henry Simmons round out the cast in the crime thriller.
Elba raked in multiple award nominations following the film's 2014 release, and Henson won "Best Actress" at the BET Awards and "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture" at the Image Awards.
The Wire (2002-2004)
Image Credit: Blown Deadline Productions.
Elba had a recurring role in the first three seasons of The Wire as Russell "Stringer" Bell, which ran on HBO from 2002 to 2008. It's one of the roles the actor is most known for, as it got him his big break in the industry, and he still reflects on the experience today.
During an appearance on Spotify's What Now? with Trevor Noah podcast in February 2024, Elba recalled learning of his character's death during Season 3. "I didn't know my character was gonna die until we got the episode," Elba confessed. "It was tough love."
The Dark Tower star also revealed that he lied about his thick British accent throughout the audition process, hoping it would secure him the part. After eventually coming clean, Elba was offered the role of Stinger on the spot despite auditioning for Avon.
The Office (2002, 2013)
Image Credit: Reveille Productions.
Another masterful work of Elba's worth mentioning is his six-episode run in Season 5 of The Office , which aired in 2009, where he plays Michael Scott's (Steve Carell) new boss Charles Miner. Miner is the exact opposite of Scott, which causes issues when Scott quits Dunder Mifflin.
He also briefly appears in the original British rendition of the comedy in 2002 as an exaggerated version of himself.
