Idris Elba Opens Up About Hollywood Racism and Why He “Stopped Describing Myself as a Black Actor” | THR News - video Dailymotion

The actor explained that he doesn't want to be categorized in Hollywood as "the first Black" to do something.

Transcript

00:00Idris Elba is getting candid about racism in Hollywood and his reasons behind pursuing an

00:05entertainment career. In an interview with Esquire magazine, the star said,

00:10I stopped describing myself as a black actor when I realized it put me in a box.

00:15Elba explained, as humans, we're obsessed with race and that obsession can really hinder people's

00:19aspirations, hinder people's growth. Racism should be a topic for discussion. Sure, racism is very

00:25real, but from my perspective, it's only as powerful as you allow it to be. The actor said

00:30that he gets asked a lot if he's experienced racism, which he clarified that he has, but that

00:35he doesn't go to my black friends in conversation and ask them to tell me about racism. When talking

00:40about why he chose a career in entertainment, the prolific actor explained that he didn't become

00:45an actor because I didn't see black people doing it and I wanted to change that. I did it because

00:50I thought that's a great profession and I could do a good job at it. Elba continued, as you get up the

00:54ladder, you get asked what it's like to be the first black to do this or that. Well,

00:58it's the same as it would be if I were white. It's the first time for me. I don't want to be

01:02the first black. I'm the first Idris. As for representation in Hollywood, he said he,

01:07in many cases, is the first to look like him to do a certain thing. That's good to leave as part

01:12of my legacy so that other people, black kids, but also white kids growing up in the circumstances

01:17I grew up in are able to see there was a kid who came from Canning Town who ended up doing what I do.

01:22It can be done. For more on this story, head to THR.com. And for the latest entertainment

01:27news and updates, keep watching The Hollywood Reporter News.