Idris Elba suffered a "clash of conscience" about playing a gunslinger in 'The Dark Tower'.
Idris Elba
The London-born actor has admitted to having had second thoughts about accepting the role of Roland Deschain in the Western movie, which is a continuation of Stephen King's novel of the same name, because he didn't want to glorify gun violence.
He explained: "I had a clash of conscience with my character. In America, there's a real awareness of gun culture. I had to break down why he's good at shooting.
"We erred on the side of 'This is his tool. It's set in this world that's part of Stephen King's imagination, and it is what it is..."
But Idris, 44, admitted he risked upsetting the film studio by being so candid about his moral dilemma.
Speaking to Esquire magazine, he confessed: "I'll probably be crucified by the film company for even mentioning this."
Idris has enjoyed significant success on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean during his career, starring as Stringer Bell in the popular HBO series 'The Wire' and more recently, appearing as DCI John Luther in the BBC TV show 'Luther'.
But Idris previously promised to stay true to his East London roots, regardless of how rich and famous he becomes.
The acclaimed actor - who has been repeatedly touted as the man to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond over recent years - insisted he is keen to stay in touch with his humble beginnings in the UK capital.
He explained: "I think my heart and my blood are definitely still in East London."
And although he spends an increasing amount of his time alongside Hollywood stars, Idris still feels very connected to his home city.
The self-confessed "workaholic" said: "I feel like if you spread out my veins, it would be all over East London."
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