Best Idris Elba Movies and TV Shows, Ranked

Few actors can claim the level of global fame Idris Elba has achieved over the last 20 years. 

The London-born Elba is a one-time “People’s Sexiest Man Alive” and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee who has been a steady presence in both film and television projects since the early 2000s. That includes worldwide box-office receipts totaling over $8 billion in films that he’s either had a lead or key supporting role in, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. It includes roles in television shows that have been regarded as some of the greatest of all time — from network television through the current streaming era. 

Here’s a look at Elba’s best movie and TV roles — so far, of course.

Role: Commandant

Co-stars: Abraham Atta, Ama K. Abebrese, Kobina Amisa-Sam, Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye, Jude Akuwudike

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Box office: $90,000 (Netflix release)

Bottom line: “Beasts of No Nation” holds an interesting place in the pop-culture canon as the vehicle with which Netflix publicly declared its intentions to make films geared toward awards season with an up-and-coming star in Fukunaga (“No Time to Die”) and an up-and-coming star with Elba. 

“Beasts” is as disturbing a movie as you will come across, and Elba’s role as the evil Commandant is a walking nightmare — he walked away with Best Supporting Actor nominations from the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTAs, SAG Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. This is the type of movie you probably need to watch but will never be able to watch again. 

Role: Charlie Jaffey

Co-stars: Jessica Chastain, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd, Kevin Costner, Graham Greene, Joe Keery, Claire Rankin

Director: Aaron Sorkin

Box office: $59.3 million 

Bottom line: Elba has a knack for picking great projects with female leads and taking choice supporting roles — in the case of the Academy Award-nominated film “Molly’s Game,” the lead was Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain playing underground poker queenpin Molly Bloom.

Director Aaron Sorkin (“A Few Good Men”) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, while Chastain was nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards. 

Role: Charles Miner

Co-stars: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Ed Helms, Leslie David Baker, David Denman, Craig Robinson, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper, Oscar Nunez

Network: NBC

Bottom line: “The Office” showed us Elba could be something no one thought he could be — funny. Like really funny. His role as Michael Scott’s handsome replacement, Charles Miner, had us rolling and gave us the famous line: “I’m aware of the effect I have on women.”

That sort of “wink-wink” humor is usually groan-worthy. Here, Elba’s deadpan approach is pitch-perfect. 

Role: Dr. Ben Bass

Co-stars: Kate Winslet, Dermot Mulroney, Beau Bridges

Director: Hany Abu-Assad

Box office: $62.8 million 

Bottom line: If there’s a beef people might have with this list, it’s probably right here. But there are few things that can draw me in more than a plane-crash-followed-by-survival plot. This two-hander with Kate Winslet and Elba is basically “The Edge” meets “The Notebook,” and I’m really here for it.

You want to burn a couple of hours in the middle of the winter on a sort-of-trashy, sort-of-cheesy romantic thriller? Just hit play.