Idris Elba, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in 'Luther' and 'Thor', has made a surprising confession about 'The Wire', the critically acclaimed HBO crime drama that launched his career. Despite playing the unforgettable Stringer Bell, Elba admits he's never actually watched the show!
Elba's Honest Revelation
During an appearance on Amy Poehler's 'Good Hang' podcast, Elba confessed, "If I’m really honest, I didn’t watch 'The Wire'. I didn’t watch it. And I feel bad." He explained that while he's not a fan of the show in the traditional sense, he was deeply involved in creating something "so intense and so real, so important."
Elba elaborated that he feels a sense of separation from the show's fanbase, stating, "I didn’t participate in its celebration as a viewer, as a fan. And so I feel a little bit outside of the club."
Why He Won't Watch
Elba revealed a deeper reason for his avoidance: the emotional impact of his character's death. "It’s almost a bit like I was Stringer Bell... I also feel like when Stringer Bell died, there was a part of me that died with that character. It’s weird for me to go back and watch it."
Reservations About Stringer's Fate
Elba also shared that he initially had reservations about Stringer Bell's demise. He told Poehler's podcast that he "was a little bit against some of that. But the actual beheading of Stringer was an important move, you know? Just to illustrate to the world that, 'Hey, man, take the blinkers off.'"
Stringer Bell, a complex and ambitious drug lord, met a violent end in season three. However, Elba noted that the real-life person Stringer Bell was based on had a different fate. "Stringer is a real person who is still alive," Elba said, "And 'Stringer' went on to become a very successful businessman who will remain anonymous forever but successfully built a lot of businesses and, you know, crawled out of the hole."
Despite this initial hesitation, Elba acknowledges the importance of Stringer's death in the show's narrative. 'The Wire' continues to be celebrated for its realistic portrayal of urban life and its impact on society, even if its star hasn't seen it!