Actor Idris Elba recently made comments about refusing to be labeled as a “Black actor” and fellow actor John Boyega does not agree with him.
Boyega had responded to a fan who happen to agree with Elba’s stance, in which he said, “I think we should fixate on who is typecasting and putting actors in boxes because of this. Not on making weird adjustments for them. We continuously focus on what we have to do so they don’t do this or that. Very worrying. We BLACK and that’s that.”
Elba’s remarks came after it was announced that he will be returning as Detective John Luther in “Luther: The Fallen Son.” He said that he no longer wants to be described as a “Black actor,” as a way to let go of any labels.
He elaborated on this by saying, “Of course, I’m a member of the Black community. You say a prominent one. But when I go to America, I’m a prominent member of the British community. ‘Oh U.K.’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.”
Idris continued as he spoke on the obsession with race, “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.”
He concluded with, “As you get up the ladder, you get asked what it’s like to be the first Black to do this or that. Well, it’s the same as it would be if I were white. It’s the first time for me. I don’t want to be the first Black. I’m the first Idris.”
Who do you agree with John Boyega or Idris Elba?