Idris Elba - 'I Understood Stringer Bell'

The star of Luther and The Wire on his love of speed, being down with kids, and why he's never watched the series that made him a star.

Are you a gambler?
Yeah, I guess so. If you like speed as much as me [Idris broke the British ‘Flying Mile’ record on Pendine Sands in 2015], you’ve got to be a bit of a gambler. There’s always an element of chance when you’re driving fast. And I think most actors would agree that our chosen profession is shaped by luck to a degree. Being in the right place at the right time, bumping into someone you haven’t seen for ages when you’re just the person they’re looking for – luck plays a hand. But the harder I work, the luckier I get.

Is Stinger Bell still the role you’re most often asked about?
Less so now that Luther’s been so well received. And once you’ve become a part of the Marvel and Star Trek universes, you’re always being approached by fans. And then, because I worked on The Jungle Book and Zootopia, I get kids and their parents coming up for a chat. All ages, all shapes and sizes – the more the merrier!