Actor to warn MPs about diversity in entertainment

joan

January 18, 2016 6:26 PM

Idris Elba will be delivering a powerful speech at Westminster, attended by over 100 MPs and senior TV executives. He is expected to warn everyone about the lack of opportunities for black actors on British TV.

Idris Elba

Idris Elba will be delivering a powerful speech at Westminster, attended by over 100 MPs and senior TV executives. He is expected to warn everyone about the lack of opportunities for black actors on British TV.

The 'Luther' star has hit out at the situation saying he had to move to the U.S. just so he could be considered for more leading roles in shows.

He added that people in the TV world often aren't the same people as those in the real world and that television screens are at risk of not properly reflecting society.

The 43-year-old is also set to say that Britain has a glass ceiling for black actors and that if he had stayed in Britain he would have been sidelined to supporting parts, rather than lead roles.

The Guardian reports that Elba will say: "When you don't reflect the real world, too much talent gets trashed. Thrown on the scrapheap. Talent is everywhere, opportunity isn't. And talent can't reach opportunity. I knew I wasn't going to land a lead role. I knew there wasn't enough imagination in the industry for me to be seen as a lead. In other words, if I wanted to star in a British drama like Luther, then I’d have to go to a country like America. And the other thing was, because I never saw myself on TV, I stopped watching TV. Instead I decided to just go out and become TV."

Since appearing in 'The Wire', Elba has gone on to land leading roles including playing Nelson Mandela in the film 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' and in BBC crime drama 'Luther'.

His speech at Westminster will come as both the film and TV industry on both sides of the Atlantic have come under criticism for the lack of diversity.

Just last week when the nominations were announced for the Academy Awards, there were no black actors or directors included on the Oscars shortlist.

joan