Not only is this brooding Brit a remarkably handsome guy, but he's also one of the hardest working actors out there. It's no secret that at any one time he seems to have around five or six film and TV projects on the go, with his latest being the live action adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical Cats.
Idris Elba with wife Sabrina Dhowre and daughter Isan Elba / Photo Credit: O'Connor/AFF/PA Images
But if the sight of this 46-year-old smooth-talking British star as a pussy-cat (not least the mysterious bad-ass Macavity) isn't enough to make you fall in love, then what about everything else he finds time to do?
When he's not capturing our hearts and imaginations on screen, he's spinning discs at clubs under the guise of DJ Big Driis and earning a reputation for himself as an Ibiza dub star. He's also a rapper and producer with his own record label, 7Wallace Music, and earlier this year he performed at Coachella and featured on grime artist Wiley's song Boasty.
Idris Elba's talents do not stop there either. He took MMA and kickboxing training under Muay Thai coach Kieran Keddle, winning his first ever professional fight against the younger and more experienced Lionel Graves. He saw his kickboxing adventure as something as a challenge for his middle-aged body; an attempt to become the fittest he's ever been. We only wish we had that kind of focus and motivation.
Being an international sex symbol comes with a lot of responsibility, and not playing up to that label is one of the best things about Mr. Elba. He exudes charm, while also staying undeniably humble, relaxed and down-to-earth - not to mention hilarious. Not only does he have a lovely habit of cracking jokes in interviews, he was also hysterically funny on Saturday Night Live earlier this year.
With a number of awards to his name including a Golden Globe and an OBE, Idris would be forgiven for becoming absorbed in his showbiz lifestyle. But he's not one to forget his Ghanaian heritage or his modest beginnings. In fact, in 2014 he worked with the UK's Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening in the governments efforts to combat the Ebola crisis in West Africa. And that's not the only cause he's been involved in; in 2017 he raised money for women's charity W.E. Can Lead by auctioning himself off as a Valentine's Day date.
Having such a busy schedule means there has been little room for true love in Idris' life, although he was married twice before many years ago. However, in February 2018, he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend of one year, Sabrina Dhowre, at a screening for his feature film directorial debut Yardie and it was the most adorable thing ever. Meanwhile, he still finds time to be an excellent father to his two children from previous relationships, Isan and Winston, and is regularly photographed with them at premieres, other red carpet events as well as out and about on day trips.
Idris Elba epitomises British charm and is probably one of the world's most desirable human beings, and we can't wait to see what he does next.
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