Idris Elba decided to stop calling himself a black actor after it put him 'in a box'.
The Luther actor recently spoke out on racism and how, in his view, 'not talking about the differences' between people would be more beneficial to society.
Starring in the upcoming Netflix movie Luther: The Fallen Sun, the 50-year-old told Esquire that humans 'are obsessed with race', and not in a good way.
Elba is reprising his role detective John Luther as the new movie follows the award-winning television saga, which has been reimagined for film.
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While promoting the film, the actor opened up about his humble beginnings.
He recalled living up on the ninth floor of the Holly Street Estate in Hackney.
"It has changed now. Been knocked down to a large degree. But it’s still, in essence, exactly what it was and, geographically, exactly where it was. I love going back. I look up in the sky," he said.
"These skyscrapers were my first understanding of scale. Of who I am, how I fit. Huge, 19 floors. So when I go back, and I look up, I get to see this view and understand my scale differently now. F**king fascinating."
When asked about whether he lived in a 'tough neighbourhood' or not, Elba turned his attention to racism and the colour of his skin.
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“Of course, I’m a member of the Black community,” Elba said.
“You say a prominent one. But when I go to America, I’m a prominent member of the British community.
“‘Oh, UK’s in the house!’
“If we spent half the time not talking about the differences but the similarities between us, the entire planet would have a shift in the way we deal with each other.”
“As humans, we are obsessed with race,” he continued.
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“And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth.
“Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real.
“But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be. I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to.
“Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin. Rant over.”
The plot for The Falling Sun involves a serial killer who is terrorising London while disgraced detective Luther (Elba) sits behind bars.
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He is haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who is constantly mocking and taunting him along the way.
Luther: The Fallen Sun will be available to watch on Netflix from 10 March.
Topics: Idris Elba, Celebrity, Film and TV