Idris Elba found making 'Beasts of No Nation' so soon after his son was born "the toughest thing" he could have done.

Idris Elba

Idris Elba

The 43-year-old actor - who has daughter Isan, 14, with first wife Hanne 'Kim' Norgaard and son Winston, 22 months, with ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth - admits he wasn't in the right "space" to play the Commandant in the African civil war movie but he "embraced" the challenge of doing the role justice.

Speaking at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in California on Saturday (27.02.16), where he picked up the Best Supporting Male award, he told Us Weekly magazine: "It was hard, I literally had a baby one month before I started filming, my first son.

"Then I went off and made that film. It was the toughest thing for me to do. My mind wasn't in that space. So it became a challenge that I had to really embrace."

Elsewhere at the ceremony - which recognises the best in independent filmmaking - Idris' co-star Abraham Attah won Best Male Lead, while 'Spotlight' picked up five prizes.

The true crime tale - which is about an expose of child abuse by Boston Globe reporters - picked up Best Feature, Best Director for Tom McCarthy, Best Screenplay for the filmmaker and co-writer Josh Singer, and Best Editing for Tom McCardle, while it was also bestowed the Robert Altman award, which is given to the best ensemble cast.

'Room' actress Brie Larson picked up one of the film's two awards, for Best Female Lead, and 'Tangerine' star Mya Taylor was named Best Supporting Female.

Film Independent Spirit Awards 2016 list of winners:

Best Feature:

'Spotlight'

Best Director:

Tom McCarthy, 'Spotlight'

Best Female Lead:

Brie Larson, 'Room'

Best Male Lead:

Abraham Attah, 'Beasts of No Nation'

Best Supporting Female:

Mya Taylor, 'Tangerine'

Best Supporting Male:

Idris Elba, 'Beasts of No Nation'

Best Cinematography:

Ed Lachman, 'Carol'

Best International Film:

'Son of Saul'

Best Screenplay:

Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, 'Spotlight'

Best Documentary:

'The Look of Silence'

Best Editing:

Tom McArdle, 'Spotlight'

Best First Feature:

Marielle Heller, 'The Diary of a Teenage Girl'

Best First Screenplay:

Emma Donoghue, 'Room'

John Cassavetes Award:

'Krisha'

Robert Altman Award:

'Spotlight'

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