Career Timeline of Idris Elba: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Idris Elba built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Idris Elba is a multifaceted English entertainer, recognized as an actor, rapper, singer, and DJ. He's garnered critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe Award and multiple BAFTA and Emmy nominations. Named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2016, Elba's success extends to the box office, where his films have generated over $9.8 billion worldwide, solidifying his position as one of the highest-grossing actors in the industry.
1967: The Jungle Book animated film released
Idris Elba voiced Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (2016), a live-action adaptation of the animated 1967 film of the same name, directed by Jon Favreau.
1986: Started helping with wedding DJ business
In 1986, Elba started helping an uncle with his wedding DJ business; within a year, he had started his own DJ company with some of his friends.
1994: First acting role in Crimewatch murder reconstructions
In 1994, Elba's first acting role was in Crimewatch murder reconstructions, marking the start of his on-screen career.
1995: First significant role on Bramwell
In 1995, Elba landed his first significant role on a series called Bramwell, a medical drama set in 1890s England.
1997: Starred in Silent Witness
In 1997, Elba starred in the first two episodes of the second series "Blood, Sweat and Tears" in Silent Witness.
2001: Acted in stage production of Troilus and Cressida
In 2001, Elba played Achilles in a stage production of Troilus and Cressida in New York City.
2002: Starred in The Wire
From 2002 to 2004, Elba portrayed Stringer Bell in the series, perhaps his best-known role in the United States.
2002: Music Video Appearance
In 2002, Idris Elba appeared in a music video for Fat Joe.
2002: Rise to Prominence in The Wire
In 2002, Idris Elba rose to prominence playing Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire.
2003: Finding Nemo released
Idris Elba acted in Finding Dory (2016), alongside Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks in Finding Nemo (2003).
2004: Continued Role in The Wire
From 2002 to 2004, Elba portrayed Stringer Bell in the series, perhaps his best-known role in the United States.
2004: Music Video Appearance
In 2004, Idris Elba appeared in a music video for Angie Stone.
2005: Portrayed Captain Augustin Muganza in Sometimes in April
In 2005, Idris Elba portrayed Captain Augustin Muganza in Sometimes in April, an HBO film about the Rwandan genocide.
2006: Recorded Big Man EP
In 2006, Idris Elba recorded the four-song EP 'Big Man' for Hevlar Records.
2007: Role in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
In 2007, Elba played an alcoholic warrior monk tasked with finding the title character in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
2007: Lead role in Daddy's Little Girls
In 2007, Elba signed on to play the lead role of the film Daddy's Little Girls, playing Monty, a blue-collar mechanic.
2007: Role in American Gangster
In 2007, Idris Elba acted in the film American Gangster.
2007: Appeared on BET special Black Men: The Truth
In 2007, Idris Elba appeared on the BET special Black Men: The Truth, showcasing his presence in media and entertainment.
March 2008: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency premiered on BBC One
In March 2008, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, featuring Idris Elba as Charlie Gotso, premiered on BBC One.
2008: Starred in Prom Night and RocknRolla
In 2008, Idris Elba starred in the horror film Prom Night and the Guy Ritchie London gangster film RocknRolla.
January 2009: Reported to portray Charles Miner on The Office
In January 2009, it was reported that Idris Elba would portray Charles Miner on NBC's The Office.
April 2009: Appointed Prince's Trust Anti-Crime Ambassador
In April 2009, Idris Elba was appointed as the anti-crime ambassador for The Prince's Trust, a UK youth charity.
July 2009: DJ for BET's Rising Icons
In July 2009, Idris Elba worked as the DJ for BET's current series 'Rising Icons'.
August 2009: Announced Kings Among Kings EP
In the August 2009 issue of Essence, Idris Elba announced the title of his six-song EP as Kings Among Kings.
September 2009: Signed deal to star in Luther
In September 2009, Idris Elba signed a deal to star as the lead role on the six-part BBC television series Luther.
2009: Recurring guest role in The Office
In 2009, Idris Elba had a recurring guest role as Charles Miner in the NBC sitcom The Office.
2009: Starring in Obsessed
In 2009, Idris Elba starred in the film Obsessed.
2009: Starred in The Unborn and Obsessed
In 2009, Idris Elba starred in the horror film The Unborn and in Obsessed, a thriller that had him cast opposite Beyoncé.
February 2010: Released High Class Problems Vol. 1 EP
In February 2010, Idris Elba released his EP 'High Class Problems Vol. 1' in the United Kingdom.
April 2010: Starring in The Losers
In April 2010, Idris Elba starred in Dark Castle's adaptation of DC/Vertigo's The Losers, under the direction of Sylvain White.
May 2010: Luther aired in May 2010
In May 2010, Luther, a six-part BBC television series starring Idris Elba, aired on BBC.
August 2010: Signed up to portray Alex Cross
In August 2010, Elba signed up to portray the title character in a reboot of James Patterson's Alex Cross film franchise.
2010: Leading role in Luther
In 2010, Idris Elba began his leading role as DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther.
February 2011: Replaced for role as Alex Cross
In February 2011, Elba was replaced by Tyler Perry in the role of Alex Cross.
2011: Debut as Heimdall in Thor
In 2011, Idris Elba joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portraying Heimdall in the film Thor.
2011: Performed on Pharoahe Monch's album
In 2011, Idris Elba performed on the intro to Pharoahe Monch's album W.A.R.
January 2012: Won Golden Globe for Luther
On 15 January 2012, Idris Elba won Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film at the 69th Golden Globe Awards for his role on the BBC crime thriller series Luther.
February 2012: Confirmed to portray Nelson Mandela
In February 2012, Elba confirmed that he would portray Nelson Mandela in the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
June 2012: Portrayed Captain Janek in Prometheus
In June 2012, Elba portrayed the role of Captain Janek in Ridley Scott's Prometheus.
2012: Role in Prometheus
In 2012, Idris Elba acted in the film Prometheus.
2013: Appeared in Sky Commercials
In 2013, Idris Elba appeared in various television commercials for Sky box-sets.
2013: Role in Pacific Rim and Thor: The Dark World
In 2013, Idris Elba joined the cast of the film Pacific Rim and reprised his role as Heimdall in Thor: The Dark World.
2013: Portrayal of Nelson Mandela
In 2013, Idris Elba portrayed Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, earning a Golden Globe nomination.
January 2014: Confirmed to star in a Luther film adaptation
In January 2014, Idris Elba confirmed that he would be starring in a film adaptation of Luther.
August 2014: Produced K. Michelle's Musical
On August 19, 2014, Idris Elba produced K. Michelle's "The Rebellious Soul Musical," which debuted on VH1.
September 2014: Featured on VVIP's Single "Selfie"
On September 12, 2014, Idris Elba was featured on the remix of VVIP's single "Selfie" with Phyno.
November 2014: Released Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela Album
In November 2014, Idris Elba released the album 'Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela', produced by Mr. Hudson.
April 2015: Selfie Music Video Release
On April 11, 2015, the music video featuring Idris Elba on the remix of VVIP's single "Selfie" was released on YouTube.
June 2015: Rapped on Skepta's Shutdown Remix
On June 1, 2015, Idris Elba rapped in a remix of Skepta's "Shutdown", which was uploaded to SoundCloud.
August 2015: Featured on D'banj's Single
On August 17, 2015, Idris Elba appeared on Nigerian singer D'banj's single 'Confidential', featuring Sierra Leonean rapper Shadow Boxer, with the video uploaded to YouTube on August 20.
November 2015: Launched Superdry Collaboration
At the end of November 2015, Idris Elba launched a collaboration with British fashion label Superdry.
2015: Heimdall in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Beasts of No Nation
In 2015, Idris Elba appeared as Heimdall in Avengers: Age of Ultron and starred in Beasts of No Nation, receiving award nominations.
2015: Beasts of No Nation
In 2015, Idris Elba portrayed a ruthless warlord in Beasts of No Nation, receiving a Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe nomination.
2015: Broke Land Speed Record
In 2015, as part of his Discovery Channel miniseries 'Idris Elba: No Limits', Idris Elba broke the land speed record for the Pendine Sands 'Flying Mile' course.
January 2016: Addressed UK Parliament on Diversity
In January 2016, Idris Elba addressed the UK parliament regarding the lack of diversity on screen, emphasizing the need for change regarding race, gender, and sexuality.
2016: Role in Star Trek Beyond
In 2016, Idris Elba acted in the film Star Trek Beyond.
2016: Appeared in Sky Commercials
In 2016, Idris Elba appeared in various television commercials for Sky box-sets.
2016: Voice Roles in Zootopia, The Jungle Book, and Finding Dory
In 2016, Idris Elba had several voice roles, including Chief Bogo in Zootopia, Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, and Fluke in Finding Dory, showcasing his versatility in animation.
2016: Voice roles in Animated Films
In 2016, Idris Elba voiced roles in Zootopia, The Jungle Book, and Finding Dory.
2016: Featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis album
In 2016, Idris Elba was featured on the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis album This Unruly Mess I've Made.
2017: Roles in Molly's Game and The Dark Tower
In 2017, Idris Elba acted in the films Molly's Game and The Dark Tower.
2017: Starred in The Dark Tower, The Mountain Between Us, and Molly's Game
In 2017, Idris Elba played Roland Deschain in The Dark Tower, starred in The Mountain Between Us and Molly's Game, showcasing his range in different film genres.
April 2018: Cast in Turn Up Charlie
In April 2018, it was announced that Idris Elba was cast as Charlie in the Netflix comedy series, Turn Up Charlie.
May 2018: Kwame Kwei-Armah Joined Tree Project
In May 2018, Kwame Kwei-Armah joined the 'Tree' project and rewrote part of the original writers' material, leading to a dispute over authorship.
July 2018: Launched 7Wallace Music Record Label
In July 2018, Idris Elba launched his record label, 7Wallace Music.
2018: Served on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute
From 2018, Idris Elba served on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute.
2018: Directorial Debut with Yardie
In 2018, Idris Elba made his directorial debut with Yardie.
March 2019: Turn Up Charlie premiered on Netflix
On 15 March 2019, Turn Up Charlie premiered on Netflix, featuring Idris Elba.
April 2019: Performed at Coachella
In April 2019, Idris Elba performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
May 2019: Films Grossed Over $9.8 Billion Globally
As of May 2019, Idris Elba's films have grossed over $9.8 billion at the global box office.
July 2019: Controversy Over Tree Play Authorship
In July 2019, The Guardian reported on a dispute regarding the authorship of the play 'Tree', with writers Tori Allen-Martin and Sarah Henley claiming they were removed from the production after contributing significantly to its development.
2019: Role in Hobbs & Shaw
In 2019, Idris Elba acted in the film Hobbs & Shaw.
2019: Appeared in Sky Commercials
In 2019, Idris Elba appeared in various television commercials for Sky box-sets.
2019: Luther series ended
In 2019, Idris Elba concluded his role as DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther.
April 2020: Collaborated with Jay Robinson on Know Yourself
In April 2020, Idris Elba collaborated with producer Jay Robinson on the track "Know Yourself", released on Mau5trap.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 video game released
Idris Elba portrayed the character Solomon Reed in Phantom Liberty, a 2023 downloadable expansion for CD Projekt Red's 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077.
2020: Creative Director for Emanuel's Music Video
In 2020, after hearing Emanuel's single, Idris Elba became creative director for Emanuel's music video, showcasing people coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 2021: Afrofuturist animated series development
In February 2021, it was reported that the companies of Elba and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre, would be developing an Afrofuturist adult animated sci-fi series, tentatively titled Dantai, for Crunchyroll.
February 2021: Guest DJ Mix on Triple J
On February 13, 2021, Idris Elba performed a guest DJ mix for Mix Up on Australian national youth broadcaster Triple J.
April 2021: Series mainly the brainchild of his wife
In April 2021, Elba said the series is "mainly the brainchild" of his wife, whom he described as a "super geek when it comes to anime".
September 2021: Announced Cordi Elba EP with Lime Cordiale
On September 22, 2021, Idris Elba announced he would be releasing a collaborative EP with Australian pop rock duo Lime Cordiale titled Cordi Elba.
2021: Role in The Harder They Fall
In 2021, Idris Elba acted in the film The Harder They Fall.
2021: Role in The Suicide Squad
In 2021, Idris Elba played Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad.
2021: Portrayed Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad
In 2021, Idris Elba portrayed mercenary Robert "Milton" DuBois / Bloodsport in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad.
January 2022: Released Cordi Elba EP with Lime Cordiale
On January 14, 2022, Idris Elba released a collaborative EP with Australian pop rock duo Lime Cordiale titled Cordi Elba.
2022: Voice of Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In 2022, Elba voiced Knuckles the Echidna in the film Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
2022: Stepped down from the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute
In 2022, Idris Elba stepped down from the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute.
2023: This Christmas box office gross adjusted for inflation
In 2007, This Christmas brought in nearly $50 million (~$70.8 million in 2023) at the box office.
2023: Portrayed Solomon Reed in Cyberpunk 2077 expansion
In 2023, Idris Elba portrayed the character Solomon Reed in Phantom Liberty, a downloadable expansion for Cyberpunk 2077.
January 2024: Released "Knives Down" and Featured in Cyberpunk 2077
In January 2024, Idris Elba released the song 'Knives Down' as part of his anti-knife crime campaign, and his music was featured on two radio stations in the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion.
June 2024: Launched a new production company called 22Summers
In June 2024, Elba launched a new production company called 22Summers with former Pulse & BBC exec Diene Petterle.
August 2024: Received approval to establish a film studio in Zanzibar
In August 2024, Elba received approval from the Tanzanian government to establish a film studio in Zanzibar.
November 2024: Cast in Masters Of The Universe movie
On 22 November 2024, Idris Elba was cast as Duncan, Man-At-Arms in Amazon Prime's movie Masters Of The Universe.
2024: Reprising the role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles series
In 2024, Elba reprised the role of Knuckles in a self-titled solo series for Paramount+ and returned for Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
2024: Participated in UK Government's Knife Crime Summit
In 2024, Idris Elba attended the UK government's inaugural knife crime summit, advocating for action and diverse perspectives to address the issue.
2024: Leading role in Hijack
In 2024, Idris Elba played the leading role in the Apple TV+ thriller series Hijack, and was Emmy-nominated for his performance.
2024: Started Sound International Label
In 2024, Idris Elba started his own label 'Sound International', inspired by his uncle's 1980s London 'Sound System', aiming to showcase diverse house music talent globally.
2024: Voice of Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles series
In 2024, Idris Elba voiced Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and in the Knuckles series.
January 2025: Premiered documentary into knife and gang-related crimes
In January 2025, Idris Elba premiered a documentary into the rampant knife and gang-related crimes in the United Kingdom.
2025: Suggested Banning Ninja Swords
In 2025, Idris Elba suggested banning 'ninja swords' and modifying kitchen knives as potential solutions to knife crime.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 video game
Idris Elba portrayed the character Solomon Reed in Phantom Liberty, a 2023 downloadable expansion for CD Projekt Red's 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077.
2077: CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 expansion featuring Elba
With the release of the Phantom Liberty downloadable expansion for CD Projekt Red's 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077, two of three new radio stations introduced feature Elba.
