Idris Elba has portrayed many roles over the course of his nearly 30-year long career thanks to acclaimed projects like “Luther,” “The Wire” “Hijack” and more. But he’s recently added yet another cool title to his roster and he’s now officially: Sir Idris Elba.
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Yes, you read that right. Sir Idris Elba. And how did this come about, you might ask? Well, as we previously told you, just before 2025 ended, Elba was given one of the highest honors in England by King Charles III by being knighted for his work with young people through his charity, the Elba Hope Foundation.
This prestigious honor makes Elba join the small but growing number of Black Brits who’ve achieved this status included decorated F1 driver Lewis Hamilton and rugby legend Billy Boston.
Given the recent and weighty accomplishment, it’s no wonder why the “Heads of State” actor was still basking in the feelings of gratitude when he was asked about it on the red carpet at the New York premiere of season two of “Hijack” on Thursday.
Describing it as “a real honor” and a “milestone” for his mom and family, Elba told Extra that this meant a lot to him and his family in particular because he was being recognized for his work off-camera as opposed to his work on-camera.
“I’ve worked, you know, trying to raise as much awareness about what young people are going through, especially in the U.K. and other parts of the world. It’s a real honor to be recognized for that. Not for my acting work, but, you know, for trying to make a difference for young people,” he told the outlet.
Elba has been deep in his philanthropy bag for some years now, having lent his time to organizations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNICEF and more. As recently as December 2025, the “Obsessed” star also teased the “possibility” of going back to school to “study human science, not political science,” in an effort to become more effective in his charitable endeavors.
Well, consider us proud of you once again, Idris! You’ve captured our hearts on the big and small screen and you’re consistently using your platform to bring about big and small change for others outside of it!
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