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London - Idris Elba was "blown away" when he was offered the role of Nelson Mandela.
The London-born actor was stunned to be told he had won the part of the legendary anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa in forthcoming film Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom, and he has spent hours researching the role.
He said: "I was blown away. Me? Nelson? No way, no way! You want a real man, not a man from Hackney.
"I was deeply important for me to understand where Mandela came from. Because we know where he was going, and that's a famous story, but who was he?
"Where did he come from? What was his upbringing? And that's what we focus on in the film."
The 40-year-old star isn't worried about impressing anyone who watches the movie after the 94-year-old former politician voiced his approval for Idris taking on the role.
While watching a clip of the Thor star portraying him, he said: "Is that me?"
Idris added to Britain's GQ magazine: "Game over. Thank you. So whether anyone else sees this film, I don't care. If I can convince the man himself that's enough for me. "
The London-born actor was stunned to be told he had won the part of the legendary anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa in forthcoming film Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom, and he has spent hours researching the role.
He said: "I was blown away. Me? Nelson? No way, no way! You want a real man, not a man from Hackney.
"I was deeply important for me to understand where Mandela came from. Because we know where he was going, and that's a famous story, but who was he?
"Where did he come from? What was his upbringing? And that's what we focus on in the film."
The 40-year-old star isn't worried about impressing anyone who watches the movie after the 94-year-old former politician voiced his approval for Idris taking on the role.
While watching a clip of the Thor star portraying him, he said: "Is that me?"
Idris added to Britain's GQ magazine: "Game over. Thank you. So whether anyone else sees this film, I don't care. If I can convince the man himself that's enough for me. "
