Top African actor, Idris Elba, premiers in Nelson Mandela film

A scene from "Long Walk to Freedom". Photo: atrix.com

LONDON, UK - It has been an awesome story of struggle and redemption. Now Nelson Mandela's life has been made into a film titled, "Long Walk to Freedom".  Nelson Mandela
himself is played by actor Idris Elba. Mandela's life is portrayed as a young man struggling to end the apartheid in South Africa, suffering in prison, his freedom and how he became president. The film's global premier takes place tonight at Leceister Square. Present will be Elba, other African and African-American actors, the Prince and Princess of Wales.

An accomplished actor, Elba said the pressure is now beginning to mount up as he is not so sure whether he has been able to pull his performance in this biopic movie off. The film is one of love romance and struggle. Actress Naomi Harris plays Mandela's wife Winnie and we see how Mandela fell in and out of love with Winnie. 
Mandela's family have given the film the thumbs up. His daughter, Zindi Mandela has said the actors have done an excellent job. Watch an exclusive clip of the movie here.

So, who is Idris Elba?
Born Idrissa Akuna Elba on 6 September 1972 in East Ham, London, Idris Elba is an African/British actor, producer, singer, rapper, and DJ. His parents are hard working African immigrants who got married in Sierra Leone and later moved to London. Elba first became involved in acting while he was still at school and he won a place in the National Youth Music Theatre which was partly paid for with a £1,500 grant from the Prince's Trust.

What other roles has Elba played?
Elba’s first few roles in England were not exactly glowing. His first role was as an African petty thief named Charlie Carter in Bromwell, a 1995 medical drama series set in 1890s England. His got his first credited role in 1995 when he played a supporting role as a gigolo on the "Sex" episode of Absolutely Fabulous.

He later moved to New York where his career took off. He has appeared in over 40 films, TV series and productions. He portrayed drug lord and aspiring businessman Russell "Stringer" Bell in the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire. He also played  Detective John Luther in the BBC One series Luther and won a Golden Globe. Elba has appeared in films such as American Gangster (2007), Takers (2010), Thor (2011), Prometheus (2012), Pacific Rim (2013) and Thor: The Dark World (2013). In addition to his acting work, he is a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis (or Big Driis the Londoner) and a hip-hop soul musician.