Sir Idris Elba (born 6 September 1972 in Hackney, London) is an English actor, DJ, rapper and producer whose films have grossed over $9.8 billion worldwide. He first gained wide recognition as Stringer Bell in HBO's The Wire and later as DCI John Luther in the BBC series Luther, the latter earning him a Golden Globe. Long before Hollywood came calling, he was already DJing in London clubs under the name DJ Big Driis - a parallel career he has never abandoned, with residencies at Ibiza's top venues and his own house music label, Sound International.
Elba was knighted by King Charles III in the 2026 New Year Honours for services to young people, and is now formally known as Sir Idris Elba.
Production on Luther 2 began in London in February 2026, with Netflix confirming the film in November 2025.
Elba extended his exclusive global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group, with UMPG noting his 2025 season included Coachella, four Glastonbury sets and a full Ibiza summer.
Elba premiered a documentary on knife and gang-related crime in the UK, which aired on 29 January 2025.
Elba launched Sound International, a global house music label and live brand, in November 2024; it has since hosted showcases at ADE, SXSW London, Glastonbury, Nairobi and Accra.
