Idris Elba Tried to Capture Mandela’s Aura

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Weinstein Company, Biopics, Drama, Period, Political, Celeb News, Filmmaking, New Releases,

Idris Elba tried to capture Nelson Mandela's "aura" when filming Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

The star thoroughly researched his role as the South African civil rights activist and former president - who was imprisoned between 1962 and 1990 for his beliefs - and says his acting was helped by understanding the gravitas he is held in:

"I was more of a journalist than an actor when I first got the role [as Mandela]. I didn't know as much as I'd like to about him, there is so much to learn. Especially about his aura, about the way people feel about him because you can't really act that. You just have to have some understanding of it, so that's what I did. The pressure of taking on someone that everyone knows is insurmountable - ultimately you've got to own it yourself. I don't look like Mandela so I have to ask the audience to come along on a journey and say this is my interpretation."

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