Idris Elba he doesn’t consider himself a great showman. Despite having participated in more than 100 productions, he was nominated for 5 Emmys and have won a Golden Globe – in addition to being a DJ in his spare time -, the actor is now thinking about entering a quieter phase.
“Many aspects of my personality have been overshadowed by my profession,” reveals Idris. “I want to start writing films, directing… Maybe directing myself”.
In an interview with CNN the actor, who will turn half a century next month, said he’s never had the patience to sit in front of a computer and write, but he feels it’s time to let his nerdy side come out more.
“Fifty years is a big milestone for some people, but not so much for me,” he says. “I hope my career continues to advance in many ways.”
Your newest project is “The beast” , an action film about a family that, shaken by the recent death of their matriarch, decides to pay their respects in South Africa, the mother’s country of origin. In addition to resolving the father-daughter relationship, Nate (Idris Elba ), Mar (Iyana Halley ) and Norah (Leah Jeffries ) must survive in the wild, running from a killer lion.
When reading the synopsis, it is not difficult to imagine the type of protagonist of the film: invincible, knowledgeable in any and all survival techniques and the great savior of all characters. However, that is not what happens. Of these three options, only one is filled in (and at the very end of the movie).
The director Balthasar Kormakúr deconstructs the perfect hero by exposing, with humor, that Idris Elba’s character can’t hot-wire a car or doesn’t know how to shoot.
“I’m not trying to make a funny scene, per se, it’s just the way some people deal with stress,” says the director.
Watch the trailer for “The Beast”:
Producer Will Packer believes that humor in an action movie comes to bring lightness to the story.
“The lion chases the family all the time, through the trees, breaks windows, climbs into the car”, says the producer. “But you have quieter, comedic moments too. You have to balance that in the film.”
“The Beast” was filmed in South Africa and the director uses the locations given to him in an unconventional way. First-person scenes, long shots and camera rotations were some of the tricks that Baltazar found to make the film more intimate.
“I wanted to do something different, blockbusters aren’t usually filmed that way. The lion is chasing the family and chasing you, by the way. It creates more anxiety and leaves the audience more vulnerable.”
With an authentic setting, no green screen, the CGI was all reserved for the killer lion. Such a whim culminates in a final fight where Idris Elba – then establishing himself as an invincible protagonist – is thrown from one side to the other by the animal.
“We had a fantastic stunt double, an amazing scene choreographer who made me feel the fight as real as possible,” says Idris Elba. “We also did a lot of research and saw several videos of how lions attack properly.”
In fact, if the protagonist’s invincibility is questionable in this fight, the special effects are not.
Father’s Day
Yes, it is possible to run away from a killer lion and discuss the precepts of being a good parent. Idris Elba, a father of more than 20 years, says fatherhood comes to the fore when you’re surrounded by younger people.
“During filming, I always wanted to know if Leah and Iyana were okay, comfortable, I believe it’s my paternal instinct speaking,” he says.
Both actresses agree: Idris made them very comfortable during filming.
“This movie should be treated like a comedy, because we were laughing all the time backstage,” says 13-year-old Leah Jeffries.
“Idris was able to convey all of his protective father nature into the film and that helped us on set too,” says 26-year-old Iyana Halley. “We would joke with each other, we would laugh and that made the movie even more special.”
As soon as it was informed that the film would premiere here on Father’s Day week, producer Will Packer invited Brazilians to watch the film, which, according to him, is perfect for the date:
“Even having some difficulties with his daughters, Idris pulls himself together and saves the entire family from the lion,” he says. “Your dad is probably not as good as the Idris character, but that’s okay, go to the movies and see what your dad is supposed to be like (laughs).”
The movie “The Beast” premieres this Thursday (11) in Brazilian cinemas.
Source: CNN Brasil
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