![Idris Elba Idris Elba does not want to define himself by the color of his skin](https://celebily.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Idris-Elba-640x388.jpg)
Idris Elba (50) does not want to be pigeonholed! The actor gained popularity through a varied filmography of series and cinema strips such as “The Wire” or “The Suicide Squad”. Many fans saw the Brit as the successor to Daniel Craig’s (54) James Bond – but he refused. Despite many projects, one thing bothered him: Idri ‘s skin color kept coming up!
![Idris Elba does not want to define himself by the color of his skin 1 Idris Elba does not want to define himself by the color of his skin](https://celebily.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Idris-Elba-als-Heimdall-in-Thor-3.jpg)
“When you climb the corporate ladder, you’re asked how it feels to be the first black person to do this or that,” the 50-year-old told Esquire UK. One thing is certain for him: “I don’t want to be the first black man. I’m the first Idris .” That’s why he stopped calling himself a black actor: “Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin.”
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Idris also emphasized that he didn’t become a movie star because there weren’t enough black people in the industry: “I became an actor because I thought it was a great job and I could do it well.” This would have taken a few years, but the “Pacific Rim” actor was happy about his late success.