A Career Pivot, Not a Curtain Call
Idris Elba is beginning to think about life after acting. While promoting Season 2 of Apple TV+’s Hijack, the newly-knighted actor told Extra that the idea of stepping back from acting feels natural. “You naturally retire,” Elba said. “There are things that I’ve done I don’t need to do again and the things I’d like to progress towards; directing is one of them.”
The comments stop short of announcing a full retirement, but they echo a sentiment he’s been sharing more and more lately. Before this, he said “I’m hoping that my fan base as an actor isn’t mad at me, but eventually, I want to transfer to being a director fully,” at the Red Sea International Film Festival.
Directing Isn’t New for Elba
Elba was even directing a “day-in-the-life” during the Extra interview.
IHe made his feature directorial debut with Yardie in 2018, a crime drama adapted from Victor Headley’s novel and set between Jamaica and London. The film marked a clear statement of intent, positioning Elba not just as a movie star dabbling in direction, but as a filmmaker interested in culturally specific, character-driven stories.
He followed that with Dust to Dreams, a short film he wrote and directed, centered on music, memory, and creative survival, further reinforcing his interest in more personal, formally loose storytelling.
What He May Direct Next
Based on a play, This is How It Goes will star Elba, Wunmi Mosaku, Charlie Cox, and Elliott Heffernan.
Among Elba’s most notable upcoming projects is This Is How It Goes, a feature adaptation of Neil LaBute’s play that Elba directed in Ghana. The film reworks the original material’s racial dynamics and aligns with Elba’s long-standing interest in stories that examine power, identity, and social tension from a global perspective.
Knighthood and a Broader Legacy
via News.com
Elba’s career reassessment comes as he celebrates a major personal milestone: his recent knighthood in the U.K. Speaking to Extra, Elba emphasized that the honor was less about his acting accolades and more about his advocacy work for young people. “It’s a real honor to be recognized for that,” he said, adding that the moment meant deeply to his family, particularly his mother.
Still Very Much on Screen
For now, Elba remains firmly in the spotlight. Hijack returns Jan. 14 on Apple TV+, with Elba teasing that the second season is a direct continuation of the first and “better” than what came before. He’s also working on a documentary about his own life, described as a grounded, day-in-the-life portrait from his perspective.
If Elba does eventually step back from acting, it appears unlikely to be a clean break. Instead, his next chapter looks more like a pivot to keep things fresh and exciting.
