Idris Elba is due to make his debut as a Saturday Night Live host, proving he can crack a joke as well as solve a grisly murder.
The 46-year-old Luther actor will appear beside musical guest Khalid, who will also be making his very first appearance on the iconic variety show.
Elba’s appearance comes ahead of his upcoming Netflix comedy, Turn Up Charlie which you can catch from March 15.
This comedy will see Elba play a ‘struggling DJ and eternal bachelor’ turned ‘manny’, according to the IMDb description:
Charlie, a struggling DJ and eternal bachelor is given a final chance at success when he reluctantly becomes a manny to his famous best friend’s problem-child daughter.
No doubt Elba, who also co-created the show, will be drawing from some of his own experiences for this role. Unbeknownst to many of his fans, the accomplished actor is also a DJ, due to play at Coachella 2019.
Speaking with The Voice in 2009, Elba – who DJs under the name DJ Big Driis – reflected on his musical side:
Actors doing music is corny, I know that’s what people think and I accept that. But music has always been a way for me to express myself.
Honestly, I hate pushing my music. I’m passionate about what I do, so to hear someone saying they hate it would be a bit like having someone say your child is ugly!
I started out on pirate radio. I used to look up to DJs like Mistri, Desi G and Barry White. So when I heard that DJs were playing my tune and really feeling it, without knowing that it was me behind the tune, that really made me feel like I’d come full circle.
The scene that I’d come from was embracing my music, that made me feel like, ‘Wow’!
Although we’re used to Elba going for more dramatic roles, he’s also more than capable of delivering stand-out comedic performances.
Fans of The Office (US) will no doubt recall Elba’s turn as Dunder-Mifflin’s Vice President of the Northeast Region, Charles Miner.
Charles’ strict micromanagement style rubbed up against Michael Scott’s ceaseless desire to be cool and fun, driving plenty of the most humorous antics of the fifth season.
It’s exciting to see Elba delve once again into the world of comedy, proving he truly is a man of many gifts.
Elba’s Saturday Night Live debut is scheduled for March 9, and I, for one, cannot wait!
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.