Despite all the commotion over Brit hottie Idris Elba playing iconic figure Nelson Mandela in the upcoming film, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, the movie is definitely happening. The first poster has just dropped and it shows Elba covered in facial hair, brooding in the camera. In all honesty, Elba isn’t screaming Mandela in this picture. He just looks cool. But during the Cannes Film Festival, a trailer for the film was shown, and TwitchFilm seemed happy with what the movie has to offer so far, so maybe we all should be too:

“This is not your dad’s HBO Mandela film,” quipped Harvey after the trailer ran. I honestly have no idea what that means, but the film, starring Idris Elba as the South African leader, did look to be a very well executed period piece and plenty exciting.”

The movie is set to come out in November, specifically November 29, and it also stars Naomie Harris from the Bond film Skyfall, who will play Winnie Mandela. According to Shadow and Act, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom will cover everything from the revolutionary leader’s early years to the 27 years he spent in prison. The complete tale of his life, according to Idris Elba, is what makes his biopic, out of the trillion that have already been done about Mandela (including Invictus with Morgan Freeman and the shelved Winnie with Terrence Howard), a must-see:

“…my film’s about his entire life. Anyone wanting to understand who Mandela was should go and watch my film. Morgan Freeman is outstanding. Terrence Howard is an outstanding actor. But my film is about his life.”

Despite the physical differences, I think we all know that Elba can bring it as an actor, so I think he might pleasantly surprise everybody when the film is released in November. Do you think you’ll check it out?

Before Zoe Saldana signed on to play Nina Simone, or Idris Elba said he would try his hand at doing Nelson Mandela, or even before there was any kind of talk of Lenny Kravitz playing Marvin Gaye (which he eventually changed his mind about), actors were getting major side-eyes from movie fans and critics alike for trying to portray certain people on-screen. It’s always going to be something, and it has always been something for people to complain about: She’s too light, she’s not the same culture as that person, he’s not light enough, he’s not cool enough. People are often shut down by folks before there’s a trailer, a scene–anything to judge by. But as these actors went on to prove (some didn’t though), talent can trump a lot of that criticism. Here are nine people who initially were counted out from their biopic roles but ended up either killing it, or embarrassing themselves.

Bearded & Black

From StyleBlazer

In a new study from the University of South Wales, men with beards were found to be more attractive, better parents and healthier than shaven ones. That’s right fellas, grow it out!

The university surveyed 350 women and 200 men by asking them to rate men by attractiveness, health, masculinity and parenting abilities from photographs of men who were clean-shaven, lightly or heavily stubbled and fully bearded. Published in the latest issue of “Evolution and Human Behavior,” the surprising results found that “beardedness affects judgments of male socio-sexual attributes and suggest that an intermediate level of beardedness is most attractive while full-bearded men may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in offspring.”

To read more about the study, go here.

But first, look below at the best celebrity beards. It was a close call for all these non-shaven men, but this is what we came up with:

Source: Bossip

We’ve witnessed actress Taraji P. Henson blossom into one fabulous individual over the years and it’s so hard not to love her wild sense of humor and her down to earth personality. The 42-year-old knockout recently paid a visit to the Wendy Show where she chatted it up about everything from parenting to her rumored relationship with Idris Elba. Check out some of what she had to say.

 On putting off her son’s college enrollment: 

“I had my son sit out a semester. Well, a year. We did the gap year. I just felt like he wasn’t ready. He’s of college age. He’s on his way to college. He was supposed to start last year. I want to set him up for success not failure. And a lot of kids when they go to college and they’re not mentally ready, they’re not mature enough and they fail. He’s not gonna waste my money. I feel like we invest in our children’s future and like I said I want to set him up for success not failure. Yes and he did [get a job for a year to mature] and I’m so proud of him. He’s such a good boy, he just wasn’t ready.”

On the Think Like a Man sequel: 

“Yes, [a sequel is] being made. We start [filming] May 13th in Vegas.”

On how (and why) she maintains a low profile: 

“I do [go out shopping while in New York City]. We [Mary J. Blige and I] hang out. I was just with her at Noble. This is what you guys need to understand. I don’t do it and I’m not judging, but a lot of celebrities call the paparazzi to meet them where they’re going. So I am choosing to have a private life because I have a son. I have a son who is on the Internet. And like I said last time I was here, I don’t know what it is to grow up, you know his father was murdered. I don’t know what it is to grow up without a dad, my grandfather is murdered and now my mom is this big celebrity and she’s always in the tabloids. I wouldn’t do that to him.”

On the rumored romance shared between she and Idris Elba: 

“There’s the record I’ve slept with every man I’ve ever worked with. There it is! No [that is not true at all]. I just do not mix business with pleasure… If you have sex with them why would they want to work with you again?”

Turn the page to watch Taraji’s interview and find out which one of her hot co-stars she’d sleep with if she had to choose between Michael Ealy, Brad Pitt and Tyrese Gibson. 

WENN.com

Goodbye Idris Elba, hello DJ Driis.

That’s right, Idris Elba is officially taking a break from Hollywood. The Luther actor told The Daily Mirror, a UK newspaper, that he’s taking a break from acting to focus on his other baby: music. According to Black America Web, he told them:

“This year I’m not going to work as an actor so I can concentrate on music. I do it from the heart, not for the money.”

Well great, good for him.  But what about those who love to see him on the big and small screens?  One one hand, you’ve got to respect that the man is going to use his fame and opportunities to do things that are important to him. But on the other hand, we like his look- excuse me, his acting.

If you’re not familiar with “DJ Driis,” you might avtually be in for a treat. He’s compiled mixtapes in the past, hosts others’ mixtapes and he, obviously, deejays.  Right now, he’s in London doing a seven week residency at one of their popular clubs.  He also directed Mumford & Sons’ “Love of the Light” video. Elba also made his own musical debut in his own video for “Private Garden” back in 2011.

So yes, his track record in the music industry has been pretty good and steady so we’ll see what he does next.

But don’t worry, according to IMDB, we might get to see him on the screen after-all: he has three movies in post-production that should hit the screen. So maybe he’s just not filming anything new – we can accept that. Maybe once he’s ready to get back to work, that James Bond role will be waiting for him.

Are you going to be checking for DJ Driis?

Channeling the spirit of Sofia from The Color Purple, I say this: “I loves Idris Elba, God knows I do! But I’ll kill him dead fo’ he ever wears that suit again.”

This well-meaning picture (click link to see the “colorful” ensemble), which comes directly from the Idris Elba Facebook fan page and accompanies a special Happy Valentine’s Day message to all the “single ladies,” was promptly met with snickering from women in my news feed, who were baffled as to how Elba came about leaving the house in a smedium jacket so tight, he couldn’t even fasten the top button; a pair of red skinny khakis, which taper so tightly at the ankles that I am convinced that someone had to sew him in them, and a pair of Skippers? I am literally typing this and shaking my head at the same time. It’s like he got a suit from the Steve Harvey line and shrunk it accidentally in the dryer. He looks like Valentine’s Day, 1976: The smooth sounds of Barry White’s “I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More, Baby” coast out of the second floor window of the family home and four-year-old Elba is sitting on the front steps, alone, in an outfit his mama made him wear (and told him not to get dirty), looking like at any moment he is about to break out his marbles and get a game of hopscotch cracking.

Seriously though, as much as I love Elba to death I have to admit to raising an eyebrow or two over some of his fashion choices as of late. Besides this suit (and I use that term “suit” loosely), there is also this outfit, which was featured on the cover of this month’s issue of British GQ, of a bearded Elba posted up on a motorcycle in some sort of outlaw meets sailor getup. I guess he is supposed to be a contemporary take on James Dean, however, he just ends up looking more like Easter Sunday, 1978: Grandma is snapping peas and humming along to Mahalia Jackson’s “How I Got Over” on the record player and six-year old Elba is at any moment about to break out the little red bouncing ball and get a game of jacks popping.

I remember a few years ago, I was at work, having a non-work related conversation with my boss. We were discussing a guy, whom we both knew professionally. This mutual friend, for all intents and purposes, is a true definition of a dandy. No pimp suits and snug, funny patterned blazers here. This guy was all about the tailored suits with simple lines and colors, beautifully folded pocket squares, nice cufflinks and spit-shine and buffed leather loafers. Not too many men could touch our mutual friend’s suit and tie game. And knowing his way around a bow tie definitely added to his overall sex appeal – not that we were checking for him or anything. Just saying. Anyway, while our mutual friend was crushing them with the suits, his casual “hip” wear always was disastrously flat. I’m talking about bulky basketball sneakers matched with hideously-colored sweaters and dad jeans, which were always two inches two short from the ankles and made in washes that I thought went out with the Fat Boys. We were pondering how someone so fashionable in one regard could also be such a fashion turn-off in another, and she made the most simple yet brilliant observation: some men only look good when they look clean.

I do not consider myself an expert on men’s fashion (some would rightfully argue I’m not an expert on women’s fashion for that matter), but I definitely feel like this is the case for Elba. While I appreciate his daring and youthful looks he has been trying to do as of late, I also feel that that his simple and classic looks are a huge part of his swag. And instead of Wiz Khalifa, he should probably think Denzel Washington. Nothing screams confidence and strength more than seeing a 6-foot-tall Elba with a nicely-lined goatee and a casual – yet well-fitted – suit jacket and slacks. And nothing screams desperate-for-attention more than that Valentine’s Day suit jacket.

When we hear his name, we swoon, and when we see him on the screen, big or small, we pay close attention. Since the mid-nineties, Idris Elba has been making appearances on dozens of television shows, taking on the role of gigolos, bar hoppers and forensic scientists, and also the notable role of a cunning drug lord and an aspiring businessman on the critically-acclaimed show, The Wire. A few years later, he earned reoccurring roles on The Big C and The Office, and presently, he’s headed into the third season of his hit British crime series, Luther, which has earned him a Golden Globe.

The Sierra Leonean/Ghanaian West Londoner’s contribution to the film world has been just as significant. Starting off small, he’s played a lowly mechanic in Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, a troubled and harassed husband in the thriller Obsessed, and a valiant spaceship captain in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. He’s been in more than 20 movies to date, and he’s currently filming two more as we speak, one of those movies being a biopic about Nelson Mandela’s life, in a film entitled, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and the other movie is a sequel to Thor, where he will be reprising his role of the all-knowing guardian, Heimdall. And, word around the web is that Idris may be in line to become the next James Bond once Daniel Craig’s contract is fulfilled. One can only hope, as it’s time they bring some color to that role.

Booming film and television career aside, we respect Elba’s hustle, because he tries his hand at everything and has a plethora of other ventures in the works. We’ve spotted him on dozens of print and online Tanqueray ads, holding ice glasses of gin and wearing a gamesome expression. And, as of 2011, he became the face of a new Smartwater campaign.  He’s also been seen in the music videos of Fat Joe, Angie Stone and UK artist Gigs. Elba co-produced and performed on Jay’s American Gangster album, and he starred in and directed a moving Mumford & Sons music video, called “Lover Of The Light.” And, he’s released two EPs, and performed all over as a DJ with the stage name DJ Big Driis the Londoner. And, by no means is he an amateur in the music department. He’s been DJing since the late 80s, having once owned a DJ company with a group of close friends.

In terms of his personal life, the once divorced transatlantic stud has one daughter, Isan Elba, for whom he bought a home in Atlanta to be closer to; and he has one son, by the name of Ortega. Elba shares time between Atlanta, London and Los Angeles, considering U.S. his home, though he still prides himself on being a ‘London boy.’ And, forever discreet about his love life and presumed single, it was rumored that Elba has excluded black women from his net of dating hopefuls, BUT, he enthusiastically denied those claims on Twitter. And we can’t help but be enamored by a guy who isn’t vain, and actually claims to not know what the hype surrounding his beauty is all about. I mean really!? Has he looked in the mirror!? That skin? That smile? That body? That accent? He could be our Valentine anytime, but we’ll just have to dream about that happening…for now…

We’ve all heard the saying “You have to kiss a few toads before you meet your prince” and likewise you have to date different types of guys to decide who is or isn’t right for you. Some of the guys you date may have potential, while others are potentially all wrong, but still each provide a lesson worth learning or a good time worth having.

You can date all great guys and never really appreciate them because you’ve never experienced a relationship with a bad one. You can say all men are immature but it wouldn’t be a fair accusation if you have never explored a relationship with an older man.  This is all to say that you should at least consider your dating options before deciding who or what is your type.

1. Mr. Boris Kodjoe or Idris Elba (depending on your flavor)

He could be shallow or have a lot of women. While you may not want to consider getting too serious with him to avoid the heartbreak, you can at least enjoy his presence for a few dates.  Men aren’t the only ones who enjoy a little eye-candy; and there is nothing wrong with dating a man solely based on his looks, at least once.

Source: The YBF

It’s difficult not to notice how amazingly attractive and extremely talented British actor, Idris Elba is. He was among Essence Magazine‘s “Top 10 Hottest Men On The Planet” in 2004 and 2005, not to mention his debut on People Magazine‘s “100 Most Beautiful People In The World” list back in 2007. He doesn’t appear to have allowed all of the fawning over him to go to his head though. The 40-year-old, East London native recently opened up to British GQ about getting older and how he feels about women being totally smitten with him. He revealed that he finds it difficult to view himself as a sex symbol due to the fact that he’s aged.

‘The irony is I wake up every morning, look at myself in the mirror and think, “Woah, I look like a piece of s***’… You watch yourself age and it’s hard to feel like a sex symbol.”

He went on to express that when female fans go crazy over him and express how much they are attracted to him, he feels awkward.  The actor also suggested that many of these same women would probably be disappointed after spending time with him.

“I’m not sure what it is they see, not to mention that, personally, I feel very awkward. There’s no way all those women would ever sleep with me and go, ‘I really liked him’. Some of them would go, ‘He was really boring or he was a bit aggressive or, urgh, actor.’”

Elba also confessed to finding the attention flattering and using it to his professional advantage.

“But it’s a compliment and it’s a massive tool to use in sculpting a career, especially with what I do for a living because I work in the face business. So it’s a compliment and I use it accordingly.”

Idris went on to tackle the circulating the rumor that he’s the next actor in line to play the James Bond character.

“It’s a rumour. And, I have to tell you, if the producers of Bond thought that I was self-campaigning, it would be such a turn-off. I’m flattered, obviously but I’ve been advised to just pipe down about it.”

“Apparently, Daniel Craig said I’d be a great Bond. Daniel, why did you say that? Dropped me right in it! What an honour it would be, but also, what an indication of change. I know Ian Fleming lived in Jamaica for a long time, didn’t he? I think it’s interesting to think what he would have made of a black man playing Bond.”

The full interview can be found in the March issue of British GQ.

Jazmine Denise is a news writer for Madame Noire. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise

Hollywood has become so large and diverse that we oftentimes take for granted the fact that some of our favorite men were not made, born, or even bred in the US. Many come from England, others from Africa, some from the Caribbean, others from Continental Europe and still some from neighboring Canada. So let’s pause and take a closer look at some of the international fellas who are doing their thing all over the world. And really, when you get right down to it, what’s not to love about hot accents, exotic homelands, and multilingual abilities? I know, nothing. Click through!

Source: WENN

Idris Elba

Born Idrissa Akuna Elba in the East Ham district of London, England, Idris Elba is the son of a Sierra Leonean father and a Ghanaian mother. Taught to work hard, Elba mastered the art of DJ’ing while working for an uncle’s wedding DJ business, then working for himself on the London nightclub circuit. For a time, Elba followed in his father’s footsteps and took a job as a factory worker in an East London suburb. But Elba’s passion for music and, eventually, theater just wouldn’t quit, and by the mid 90’s he landed his first role on British TV. Since then, Elba has enjoyed massive success in British and American television, movies, and music, to all of our delight. We just love this fine, and somehow still single, man!