Idris Elba recently sat down with Esquire for an interview and spoke about being labels being put on him and his work, including the label of “Black actor.”
Elba said, “I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box. As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth.” The actor noted that racism should be discussed for sure and that it is very real. However, he said that racism is only as powerful as you allow it to be.