Why we love sexy Idris Elba
He’s just been voted the sexiest man alive – but the talented hunk has more strings to his bow than just his looks!
HE HAS a smile to die for, eyes to drown in, a bod that could make grown men weep and a voice that sends shivers down the most rigid of spines. He’s Idris Elba – and he’s now officially been crowned what millions of women knew all along: he’s the sexiest man alive. US magazine People recently bestowed the accolade on the 1,9m-tall slab of sex appeal, who beat the likes of Michael B Jordan and Chris Pratt to the title. “It’s an ego boost for sure,” the 46-yearold Luther star says. “When I first heard I’d won I was like, ‘Come on, no way. Really? Looked in the mirror . . . I checked myself out. I was like, ‘Yeah, you are kind of sexy today.’ But to be honest it was just a nice feeling, a nice surprise.” Idris is widely regarded as a worthy winner of the sexy sash – unlike poor Blake Shelton who won last year, sparking a lot of “who’s he?” and “why him?” on social media. Idris, though, is Hot with a capital H – and no one was happier with the award than his fiancée, Sabrina Dhowre (29). “That’s my hubby! Yaaaasssss,” she wrote on social media. “Thanks @people but I already knew. #chocolateforthewin #lovewakinguptohisface.” He’s only the second black actor to take the title, after Denzel Washington won way back in 1996. And Idris is more than just a pretty face – here’s what else makes him hot.
1 HE’S CRAZY ABOUT HIS KIDS
“Being witness to the birth of my children is the biggest and best thing ever,” says Idris, who has a 16-yearold daughter, Isan, from his first marriage, to make-up artist Hanne Kim Norgaard, and a four-year-old son, Winston, with British ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth. “I’m super doting, big hugs, kisses, lots of love-yous. I’m sure my daughter’s, like, ‘All right, Dad, chill out.’ My son’s still at that age where he loves a cuddle.”
2 HE ALSO WENT THROUGH AN AWKWARD STAGE
During his schooldays in London he was “very tall and skinny”, he says. “And my name was Idrissa Akuna Elba, okay? I got picked on a bit. But as soon as I could grow a moustache I was the coolest kid on the block. Grew a moustache, had some muscles, bonkers.”
3 HE SUPPORTS CANCER AWARENESS
Idris took part in a breast cancer campaign organised by fashion designer Stella McCartney this year. The star says he wants to help remove the taboo about men discussing the disease, which can also affect them.
“Encouraging other men to talk about it with their wives, mothers and sisters is something you don’t often see or hear about but it should be. We should also be encouraging the women in our lives to go for regular check-ups.”
4 HE’S A FAN OF MEGHAN MARKLE
Asked last year whether the Duchess of Sussex would be a positive influence on society, Idris – a self-confessed royalist – replied, “Meghan Markle, as a strong woman marrying into our royal family, is going to be a role model for any woman – black or white.
“The point is our society is one of mixed heritage and it’s nice to see Meghan within the royal family. And of course she’s going to be a beacon and of course she’s going to be someone people look towards.” Go, Idris!
5 HE’S A HOTSHOT DJ
One look at his Instagram page and you’ll see Idris spends many hours behind the decks. Before he became a hotshot actor he was a DJ going by the names DJ Dris and Big Driis. “I started when I was 14. It was my first job. I used to DJ at weddings,” he says.
He also raps and has graced stages from Glastonbury to Ibiza. He even opened for Madonna during her Rebel Heart Tour in Germany in 2015. “My music is more truthful about me than my acting is,” he once said. “Music comes from my soul. I can connect with you more through it.”
6 CHIWETEL EJIOFOR IS HIS BFF
The talented actors both grew up in London and have known each other for years. In 2013 they went head to head for a best actor Golden Globe – Chiwetel (41) for his role as a man forced into slavery in 12 Years a Slave and Idris for playing Nelson Mandela in Long Walk to Freedom. But there was no rivalry, Idris says. Instead they “reflected on the privilege of getting to play these extraordinary people”. Matthew McConaughey ended up winning the award for Dallas Buyers Club.
7 HE’S ALL ABOUT COMFORT
He may be drop-dead gorgeous in a suit but he’ll take comfort over style any day. “I love sweatsuits,” he says. “You’ll usually find me in one.”
But that doesn’t mean any old grotty thing. In 2016 he teamed up with sports luxe label Superdry to create a line of tracksuits. “You have to find the materials that make you feel comfortable,” he said.
8 HE’S A SPEED FREAK
Idris likes to take a little ride on the wild side occasionally. In May 2015 he broke a British land speed record in a Bentley Continental GT Speed, clocking 180,361mph (290km/h) for a new Discovery Channel series called Idris Elba: No Limits. “I have a lifelong obsession with cars,” Idris says.
9 MERYL STREEP IS HIS CELEB CRUSH!
The 69-year-old three-time Oscar winner leaves him starstruck, Idris says. “When I met her my tongue swelled up in my mouth. I was totally at a loss for what to say. She’s the greatest.”
10 THE ROYALS LOVE HIM TOO
In 2016 he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his service to drama. Prince William bestowed the honour at Buckingham Palace. Afterwards Idris tweeted a photo of himself with his mother, Eve, writing, “Made my mom happy today.” He posted another photo of himself before the ceremony, looking dashing in a suit alongside a black car. “Flying the East End flag at Buckingham Palace today!” he wrote, referring to the area he grew up in. “OBE Day . . . How does the boy look? Feeling proppa . . . :)”