'WE ARE BLACK & THAT'S THAT' John Boyega Responds To Idris Elba's "I'm Not A Black Actor" Comment

Idris Elba whose full name is Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE made headlines last week when he spoke to Esquire UK, in an interview published Wednesday 9th February, the Golden Globe winner said he no longer refers to himself as a “Black actor” because the label put him in a “box” and an “obsession” with race can hinder aspirations and growth.

The actor who is known for roles including Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire, DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela said that while he is a prominent member of the Black community, such separatism in Hollywood can hold entertainers back.

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The comment went viral and stirred many mixed opinions, and it rightfully should. Because Idris Elba is both right and wrong at the same time as outlined below.

FASHIONGHANA OPINION
Why Idris Elba Is Right: When any individual takes on the role of being a hard productive worker, jumping through hoops, facing trials and tribulations, surviving moments of quitting, and more, it is very easy to see people that limit themselves with excuses, and people that try to limit you within your respective field with limitations.

Idris Elba has proved his talents to star in mainstream movies that many of his non-black peers have starred in. Why should anyone limit their business to calling it a black business when they have the opportunity to sell beyond their race? Just because it is run by a black person doesn’t mean it is a black business unless one chooses to limit themselves.

Why Idris Elba Is Wrong: Despite that being a progressive mentality, Idris Elba falls short of the fact that acting, as much as a talent it is, is also heavily based on your features, just like modeling. Had Idris Elba not been the black Actor that he claims not to be, he wouldn’t have been granted the role of a warlord in the ‘Beast Of No Nations movie. As a black actor, he isn’t fit to play the role of a 9-year-old white girl in a horror movie. Neither is he fit to play the role of the 18-year-old German boy who aligned himself with the Nazis. If a movie about slain American president John F Kennedy was made tomorrow, he definitely won’t be picked. Do you know why? Because he is a black actor. A black mature handsome actor. And due to the nature of his job, he is wrong.

The mentality behind the comment is 100% progressive but excludes his particular line of work. In the interview, Idris also said “I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin. Rant over,” he said.

“I did it because I thought that’s a great profession and I could do a good job at it,” he explained. “As you get up the ladder, you get asked what it’s like to be the first Black to do this or that. Well, it’s the same as it would be if I were white. It’s the first time for me. I don’t want to be the first Black. I’m the first Idris.”

To be more specific, the notion of Idris sentiments are more clear ‘If I achieve something, don’t attribute it to me being a great black man, attribute it to me being a great man, period’. Sort of like the ‘Don’t say she is pretty for a dark-skinned girl comment’.

We concur with his comments from this perspective! Don’t give me an award because you want to sympathize with my blackness or tell me I have only achieved this within the limitations of my skin, instead give me an award because my work surpasses all other races within my field.

Idris Elba not outlining this in full detail was bound to stir up reactions from various individuals in the community. Those that misunderstood, those that limit themselves, and those that feel he was abandoning the struggles of a black man and Reacted in disagreement.

Idris was forced to reply to the backlash at which he took to Twitter to state the following…“There isn’t a soul on this earth that can question whether I consider myself a BLACK MAN or not. Being an ‘actor’ is a profession, like being an ‘architect’,they are not defined by race. However, If YOU define your work by your race, that is your perogative. Ah, lie?”

There isn't a soul on this earth that can question whether I consider myself a BLACK MAN or not. Being an 'actor' is a profession, like being an 'architect' ,they are not defined by race. However, If YOU define your work by your race, that is your Perogative. Ah lie?

— Idris Elba (@idriselba) February 11, 2023

A tweep at @simsimmaaz wrote in support of Idris Elba “He’s not wrong lmao. Many Black and POC actors have talked about being typecasted into stereotypical roles because of their race” Which triggered a reaction from John Boyega.

John Boyega, who is another international black actor from UK, decided to share his thoughts on the matter. John who once played Idris Elba’s song in the movie Pacific Rim replied to a tweet and weighed in on the drama.

He stated “I think we should fixate on who is typecasting and putting actors in boxes because of this. Not on making weird adjustments for them. We continuously focus on what we have to do so they don’t do this or that. Very worrying. We BLACK and that’s that.”

I think we should fixate on who is typecasting and putting actors in boxes because of this. Not on making weird adjustments for them. We continuously focus on what we have to do so they don't do this or that. Very worrying. We BLACK and that's that. https://t.co/E0sBLJOBIR

— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) February 10, 2023

Boyega has never been one to hold his tongue when it comes to speaking on race issues and defending black/Africans. In 2020 shortly after the George Floyd killing, Boyega went on a rant attacking racist white people in a set of tweets putting his career at risk as seen below.

VIDEO: Nigerian Star Wars Actor, John Boyega Attacked For Saying “F*** You Racist ‘White’ People” & He’s Not Apologizing

It is not clear yet if the tweet was in support or against Idris Elba’s remarks, however, John decided to look more outside of that victim’s capacity if race relations and who is pulling the strings that decide the fait of black actors, whilst Idris Elba believes his talents surpass any that attempts to limit his growth.

In most cased these two conflicting opinions and world views hold such a large grey area but have been the optimum in the division of stances in the black community when it comes to race relations. Our comment section is open, share your thoughts.