Idris Elba Wants To Do More Comedy, and His Stint on One of the Best Sitcoms of All Time Is Proof He Needs To

British actor Idris Elba has built a career on gravitas. Whether as the stoic Stringer Bell in The Wire or the rugged detective John Luther in the UK series Luther, Elba’s presence has always commanded attention. Yet lately, he’s been vocal about wanting to shift gears. On Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, he admitted he’s eager to lean into comedy, revealing that in real life he’s a self-described goofball and immediately answered “yes please” when asked if he wants to do more comedic work. For an actor best known for his intensity, it’s an exciting prospect, and one audiences have already glimpsed in flashes throughout his career, most memorably during his stint on The Office, which proved just how funny he could be when given the chance.