Webchat with IDRIS ELBA: Thursday 19th December, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

We're delighted to end 2013 by welcoming Golden Globe winner Idris Elba to Mumsnet HQ on Thursday 19th December between 1.00 and 2.00pm to answer your questions.

Idris is best known for his portrayal of Russell 'Stringer' Bell in The Wire and later as Detective John Luther in BBC One's Luther. On January 3rd Idris is back on the big screen playing Nelson Mandela in the highly anticipated MANDELA LONG WALK TO FREEDOM for which he is has recently been nominated as ‘Best Actor’ for his portrayal of Mandela at the 2014 Golden Globes.

MANDELA was made with the full support and endorsement of Mr Mandela, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. Mr Mandela entrusted his life story to South African producer Anant Singh in the face of fierce competition from the major international studios. Singh spent 16 years developing the film, teaming up with David Thompson and finally commencing principal photography of this UK-South African coproduction in May 2012.

Come and chat to Idris on Thursday at 1.00pm and to find out more about the new film and his other work. If you're unable to join us please post a question in advance to this thread.

If you remake any film and pick a part in it- what would it be?

Hello Driis, congrats and wtg on everything you are doing! 13th hour is coming with Mandela! Fingers crossed!! Was wondering, can you lead me to a person in your camp to get some more autographed pics for some of the members in my group? Thanks, love you so much and keep on doing it! ~T~

Hi Idris

I love you and so does DP

What are your new year's resolutions for 2014?

Hello Idris.

I would just like to congratulate you on your awards.

And to ask you what you think of the changes to East London?

Idris is here. Sitting right next to me! And he'll be off in a jiffy (we just fixing him a peppermint tea).

Hello I'm here! Feeling poorly - do you feel sorry for me? No? Ok. We'll just get on with it then.

Is he there yet?

Ooh, spectacular cross post

Arfing at Knotty

But seriously, crochet, I am London based, and she's not, so more central

Can't think of anything sensible AT ALL

man flu?

@CestelloAnnunciation

Ok sorry sorry

From one Londoner to another - where is your favourite place in London?

My favourite place in London is East London. I love Hackney because it's full of great old-school architecture and really lovely houses. It's got a really cool feel to it. Roaming the streets of East London on my moped is my favourite thing to do.

Oh no! What's up?
Seriously, we'll all feel sorry for you

Your portrayal of Nelson Mandela will now form history for those that come after as a record of his life how difficult was it to recreate his charisma

Are you going to write

hi Idris. where do you call home? why do you think British actors are so popular in the US? almost every hit US show seems to have a British lead, The Wire, Homeland, Hannibal, House, Boardwalk Empire etc. Do you think the Brits have a different attitude to acting, or are they just cheaper? (joke! ) what was it like living in Baltimore filming the Wire? Do you keep in touch with anyone? sorry if this is a repeated question, not read the thread.

@Lovelybitofsquirrel

Were you disappointed not to make it to the end of The Wire? I'm still upset about it

No I had three years in the show and it was a really amazing time for me. The show went on for two fantastic seasons. My character had to come to an end and I was happy with that.

@TensionWheelsCoolHeels

Hello Idris,

Love your work

Can I ask how much more difficult it was trying to sound like someone's actual voice (Mandela) as opposed to just perfecting a regional accent? You must have listened to endless recordings of Mandela talk to get it as close as you did.

And I'd just like to say, for years I've watched you thinking 'I know him from something...' and today I realised having wiki'd you so I could sound all knowledgeable when posting it was from Family Affairs. There's a trip down memory lane I never thought would happen

Family Affairs to Mandela. Awesome.

It was a really conscious effort not to try and impersonate him and for the audience to get involved. It's easy for actors to impersonate but in this case we really wanted to feel the humility of the man and the man's presence so I spend a lot of time trying to understand the characteristics of his voice and then interpreting that.

Hello Driis, hope u get to feeling better! congrats and wtg on everything you are doing! 13th hour is coming with Mandela! Fingers crossed!! Was wondering, can you lead me to a person in your camp to get some more autographed pics for some of the members in my group? Thanks, love you so much and keep on doing it! ~T~

Thanks for answering Idris.

@Willemdefoeismine

Hi Idris

I just love you as the maverick cop, Luther.

You seem to have quite a following of admirers - do you get mobbed in the streets?

How did you feel, attending the premiere of Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom and then discovering the very sad news that he'd died . And how did you get in character playing Mandela?

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

It was a very bitter-sweet moment at the premiere. London came out to see us and the film and it was very special. I had my mum there and she met the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William - it was cool. The moment we found out during the film that he'd died it was a sad moment. We all took it very badly. We took the decision to step on to stage after the credits had rolled to tell the audience that we had to tell them - it was a sad moment.

Hello idris, I am very good at brow mopping!. I want to ask how was it working with Laura linney in the big c? Such an amazing programme. Congratulations on the award. I am going to be mostly watching Luther box sets whilst breastfeeding my new baby daughter.

@MacaYoniandCheese

Dear Idris,

I'm having a great deal of trouble with playing it cool trying to come up with a proper question but just want to tell you that my husband does a wicked impersonation of you (as Luther) .

Did you do any special, law-enforcement related preparation for your role as Luther?

Do you ever Google image yourself and just...admire?

Actually I spent quite a bit of time working with a DCI that was in South London and he took me through the ropes and gave me an overview of what it's like to be a real detective. A lot of it was in a classroom - we didn't do much fieldwork. I wanted to discover the personality of people who have to work with so much death. Warren Brown who played Justin spent time with that DCI too.

Hello Idris. Thanks so much for coming on here. I can't wait to see the Mandela film - I have just read the book and found it one of the most compellingly written autobiographies I've ever read. His story is astonishing and truly inspiring.

So my Q is this - as I read the book, it struck me that in some ways it worked in Mandela's favour to have been caught and imprisoned before actually committing any acts of violence. I'm wondering if you agree that had he actually done so, it would have been far harder for him to achieve what he then did?

Idris we have a couple of questions from Mumsnet HQ we'd like to put to you - a bit off the wall I know but it's important to us: 1) Favourite animal story? and 2) favourite biscuit?

@CustardoPaidforIDSsYFronts

serious question

How good is your northern accent?

Its quite important

My northern accent - by heck it's terrible!