Idris Elba is a "man-child".
Idris Elba
The 46-year-old actor - who has children Isan, 17, and Winston, four, from previous relationships and is engaged to Sabrina Dhowre - can relate to playing faded DJ Charlie in upcoming Netflix series 'Turn Up Charlie' because he still wants to live out parts of his own youth, despite his adult responsibilities.
He said: "What's interesting about it is that my character isn't paternal. He's a man-child. Which I feel I am a bit - I can relate to that.
"I'm a dad, a parent and I love my kids. But there are parts of my youth that I feel like I haven't quite lived out - and I will.
"The whole '30s is the new 20s' thing - that's all true. Young people seem to be younger for longer. And people in their 40s still seem to be doing things they were doing in their 30s. I think that's OK."
The 'Luther' actor admitted he worries about his daughter's use of social media and thinks she, along with many other teenagers, is "addicted" to using her phone but doesn't think he has the power to change things.
He said: "It's hard. I think my daughter knows that it's dangerous. But she's addicted, like most teenagers are. But there's not much I can do as a parent - she's a 17-year-old, I can't take her phone off her."
Idris left the UK to find work as an actor but returned home when his father Winston was stricken by lung cancer, and after his dad's passing aged 72 in September 2013, he found a new "lease of life".
He said: "I came home because my father became sick. I found that I wanted to live and do more because I went through the trauma of watching someone I love die...
"I came home and - boom! - I had this new lease of life with work. The opportunities were here. I set up my office in Soho within two weeks. Then sold two TV shows within five weeks. I've got nine staff running around doing music, film and clothing."
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