Exclusive: ThorAn Interview with Idris Elba
By Wilson Morales
May 4, 2011
Coming out this week is the much anticipation comic book of Marvel’s ‘Thor,’ which is directed by Kenneth Branaugh and stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, Jaimie Alexander, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Josh Dallas, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, and Clark Gregg.
At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
Elba plays Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard, who stands on the BiFrost Bridge ready to defend the city from intruders.
Throughout the shooting of the film, there had been some backlash towards the casting of Elba, a black actor, as a Norse god. Upon viewing the film, the role could have been played by any actor regardless of race or color, and thus the casting controversy is pointless.
In speaking with Blackfilm.com, Elba goes over his work with Branagh, working with the cast, his upcoming projects, and his desire to play basketball legend Michael Jordan in a film.
What was it like working with Kenneth Branagh on this film?
Idris Elba: I loved working with Kenneth. He’s a very dedicated, generous director. He’s very descriptive. He’s an actor. So he understands sort of our actor’s point of view, dilemmas, fears and whatnot. So we spent a lot of time doing that, and in my role, it’s a small, pivotal role, but even with that character he gave a lot of time and dedication to building that up.
I noticed the way that you sounded and how your costume looked in the film. Is that something that you worked with Branagh on that?
IE: As far as the costume is concerned, they sort of really based the costume on the original character and all the history that you’ve seen. There are different incarnations of how Heimdall is dressed. So we came to something that was really fantastic. I didn’t, but they did, and then when I came in and just got into it, it all actually started to come alive. As far as my sound is concerned, I didn’t know it, but they put these sorts of FX on the voice later, afterwards to give him a certain tone if you like. So, I saw that in the film. I didn’t do that.
What color contacts were you wearing?
IE: I think they were sort of like gold and brownish eyes. The idea behind it is that Heimdall can see and can hear for long distances. So we wanted to do something that sort of gave that feeling and brought that alive.
Did you ever think you’d be in a superhero film?
IE: Yeah, yeah. It’s an actor’s dream and not just an actor’s, but like a boyhood dream, to be a in a superhero movie or play a superhero. I did it when I was a kid, Spider-Man, climbing up and down walls and stuff. But in this film, I’m in the film and aren’t so much a superhero, but a part of his entourage.
What was it like working with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston?
IE: The cast were cool. Most of my stuff was with Chris and Tom, and again, man, we felt the responsibility of bringing Asgard alive and all the complexity of it, the regality of it. I loved it. It was great to watch Anthony Hopkins work even though he and I didn’t have any scenes together, per say, but I loved watching Kenneth and him coming together. It was a real great experience, a more interesting experience as a part of my career.
You’ve got a numbers of film coming up. Can you talk about ‘Prometheus’?
IE: I can’t say, but I’m still filming at the moment and it’s a great part and a great film.
Can you talk about ‘Ghost Rider’?
IE: I’ve done that and we shot that at the end of last year, beginning of this year. I think that it comes out early next year, and it’s another Marvel film, but I don’t play a super comic book hero, per say. I sort of play someone that he meets along his journey. I had a good time playing that. I was riding a lot of motorcycles and doing a lot of action stunts.
There’s been talk about the lack of roles for blacks, but that doesn’t hold true for you. How do you decide what to take?
IE: I like to keep it varied. I like to challenge myself. I like to keep my audience challenged, too. If I’m allowed to say that I have an audience, if I do they don’t know what’s happening next, what’s coming next, and I think that’s important to me and just for me enjoying myself as an actor. I love the idea of playing different roles.
You’ve got a new season of ‘Luther’ coming up. What are we going to see this time that we didn’t see in the first season?
IE: Well, this evolution of Luther, he’s gone through a lot in the first season, a huge amount of stuff that only a superman could take. So in this season I think you’re going to see a Luther that’s better and certainly worse for wear, but at the same time holding up a good front in who he is. I think that audiences will say, ‘Wow.’ I want the audiences to travel along the journey with Luther more and more in the second season.
I understand that you’re going to do a film with Keith David called ‘Killer Instinct’. Is that still a go?
IE: That’s not officially a go. We’ve been in talks and it’s a great idea. These things are ongoing conversations.
You’re also serving as a producer on ‘Milk and Honey’, the web series. How is that going?
IE: It’s going really good. We’ve got a lot of support from people and we’re still raising money to try and make it work. We’ve got a couple of offers from people that want to take it on. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I’ll be able to make announcement and I’m really excited about it.
Is this solely for the web or will it go to a network?
IE: [laughs] I want to make an announcement when it’s all official.
With all these projects you’ve got going on, what keeps you grounded?
IE: Well, just being alive and being happy to go to work everyday. That keeps me grounded. I’ve had a long, varied career and I just don’t read my own press. I don’t do that. I just go to work and get on with it. I don’t read my own press and say, ‘Oh, how fantastic I am, how wonderful I am.’ I don’t read what people don’t like about me either. I just get on my with my job. I’m actually very lucky and very privileged to be able to do what I do. So, I keep my feet on the ground.
When do you find the time now to go deejay?
IE: Believe it or not, the other day I was in London and I deejayed on a radio station. I did an hour set. London wide radio and I had fun and I played a house set. I love that. I don’t get as much time as I would like to, but whenever I get to get…honestly, I turn up to little bars. I’m in London filming this and I’ll show up to a bar with my stuff and they’ll be like, ‘You want to deejay now,’ and they just let me do it whenever I feel like it.
What’s a good reason to see ‘Thor’?
IE: ‘Thor’ is a good laugh. I mean, it’s an entertaining film. There are two sides of it. There’s a real nice story about a man that gets band from his family and thrown into another world and then there’s the action stuff. If you like anything about comics, or even if you don’t like comics this is a good humored story. A human being and gods story that you can get into.
Is there a role that you’d like to play, something that you’d produce?
IE: There are a few roles that I’d like to play. One of the roles that I’ve said for a long time that I’d like to play one day is Michael Jordan and tell his story. Again, that’s one of those things that if it happens it happens, but that’s an iconic figure that I’d like to take a shot at.
Are you good at basketball?
IE: You know, I can hold my own. Well, here’s the thing, if I was playing Michael Jordan I wouldn’t play his whole life, just by way of age. But obviously, yeah, I’d have to play some basketball, but I don’t think it’d be all about basketball. I think it’d be about the man.
Are you signed on for a sequel to ‘Thor’?
IE: No. I don’t know if there is one, but they haven’t signed me up for one.
Are we ever going to see a sequel to ‘Takers’?
IE: That’s a good question. The producers have spoken of a prequel for it, but they’ve had so many varying degrees of if it’ll work or not.
