Idris Elba is making his directorial debut behind the scenes for his new film Yardie, but still proves to be a natural in front of the camera.
The 44-year-old actor strips down for Essence's Global Issue, teasing a slightly unbuttoned shirt on the cover. Dig a little deeper into the issue and you've hit another jackpot—a photo of Elba as he shows off his perfectly sculpted figure in jeans, a peek of his Topman briefs and not much else. Bless!
While in Thailand training for a professional kickboxing tournament, Elba talks to the magazine about work, love and fatherhood.
"Having a young child now keeps me young, without a doubt," the actor and director admits about his two children: a 2-and-a-half-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter. The combination of being able to take his son to the playground and his daughter to Drake concerts proves that he's not a regular dad, he's a cool dad.
But the question on everyone's mind—especially after staring at that photo for just a little while too long—will he remarry? "I don't think so," he confesses. "I've done it. It's not for everybody." Ah well, onto the next.
His new film Yardie takes place in 1970s London and zeros in on Jamaican culture at a time when crack cocaine is introduced to the community. Elba says that the story, based on a "semi-famous" piece of English literature, is "part of the reason [he] became a man." He's able to connect with his newest film as it combines a familiarity with growing up in London during that era as well as his love for music and film.
If these photos aren't enough to sustain you for very long, you can also look forward to seeing Elba in a few of his six upcoming projects, which include his leading role in the fifth season of Luther and his new film The Dark Tower.