Award-winning actor, DJ
and recording artist Idris Elba is the latest opinion former to engage with
African youth in MTV Base Meets…with MTN (MTV Base, DStv Channel 322, 12
September 2012).
MTV Base Meets Idris Elba with MTN will follow the Elba as
he meets with five idealistic young panellists from across Africa for an
inspiring and illuminating discussion across a wide range of subjects including
his early career, his dislike of fame, his passion for his art, the importance
of education and the need to “think big” to achieve your dreams.
Elba, who was visiting South Africa in order to play the
role of Nelson Mandela in the upcoming movie “Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom”,
talked movingly about his art as an actor: ““Performance is fuelled by passion
for the piece, for the music, for the words, for the film, whatever it is. If you love what you are doing you're going
to do it well. I mean if you have a sort
of attachment to whatever it is you're doing you're going to do it well, so
some of my best performances are because, you know, I just love the material,
love the character and you just throw yourself into that.”
Born in Britain to a Sierra Leonean father and a Ghanaian
mother, Idris Elba, otherwise known as Idrissa Akuna Elba, grew up in Canning
Town, East London. The talented 40-year
old actor is today a renowned and successful television, theatre, and film
actor who enjoys a successful career on both sides of the Atlantic.
One of Idris’ first acting roles was in the soap opera
“Family Affairs” and he subsequently worked in a variety of TV roles including
“Ultraviolet” and “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries”. He soared to fame for playing Russell
"Stringer" Bell, a Baltimore drug lord and aspiring businessman, in
HBO's critically acclaimed show “The Wire”.
On television, Elba has also had recurring roles in the US version of
“The Office” and “The Big C”, and plays the title role of Detective John Luther
in “Luther”, which aired on BBC One. Elba has won a Golden Globe for his
portrayal of DCI Luther. Other prominent film roles have included “American
Gangster”, “Takers”, “The Losers”, “Thor” and “Prometheus”.
Under the moniker “DJ Big Driis” or “Big Driis the
Londoner”, Elba is a successful club DJ and still finds time to enjoy his
passion for hip-hop soul music as a successful recording artist and performer.
Meeting with Idris Elba on the programme will be South
African anthropology student, poet and a dancer Lebo Masongo (21), actress
Stephanie Schildnecht (27) from Swaziland, South African film maker Siyamthanda
Phillip (22), actor and dancer Nji Alain (26) from Cameroon and multitalented
artist, singer-songwriter, producer, rapper, choreographer and dancer Tawanda
Mujaji (23) from Zimbabwe.
MTV Base Meets Idris Elba with MTN, recorded in
Johannesburg, South Africa will premiere on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) on
Wednesday 12 September 2012. The
programme, presented by MTV VJ Sizwe Dhlomo, will also air on terrestrial
channels in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda, Swaziland, Zambia and Uganda.
Idris Elba is one of many high profile opinion formers to
have featured in the youth empowerment and mentorship series. Further thought leaders participating in
Season 2 have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former
president of Nigeria, Togolese international striker Emmanuel Adebayor, South
Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek and Hip Hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons.
To learn more about MTV Base Meets Idris Elba with MTN, or
to view clips from the series, please go to www.mtvmeets.com or www.mtvmeets.mobi. Connect with the campaign on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/MTVMEETS or join the conversation on Twitter at
#MTVMEETS.
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