Idris Elba filmography
Idris Elba is an English actor. He is known for portraying drug trafficker Stringer Bell on the HBO series The Wire, DCI John Luther on the BBC One series Luther and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. He has been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film, winning one, and was nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | 2point4 Children | Parachute Instructor | Episode: "Fortuosity" |
| 1994 | Space Precinct | Pizza Delivery Man | Episode: "Double Duty" |
| 1994, 1995 | The Bill | Earl Lee, Alex Mason | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Absolutely Fabulous | Hilton | Episode: "Sex" |
| 1995 | Bramwell | Charlie Carter | Episode: "The Outcast's Baby" |
| 1996 | The Governor | Officer Chiswick | 6 episodes |
| 1996 | Crocodile Shoes II | Jo-Jo | Episode: "Troubled Man" |
| 1996 | The Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Raffy, Pest Controller | 4 episodes |
| 1996 | Crucial Tales | Benton | Episode: "Spiders and Flies" |
| 1997 | Insiders | Robinson Bennett | 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Family Affairs | Tim Webster | 7 episodes |
| 1997 | Silent Witness | Charlie | Episode: "Blood, Sweat & Tears" |
| 1998 | Verdict | PC Brian Rawlinson | Episode: "Neighbours from Hell" |
| 1998 | Ultraviolet | Vaughan Rice | 6 episodes |
| 1999 | Dangerfield | Matt Gregory | 12 episodes |
| 2000 | In Defence | PC Paul Fraser | Episode #1.3 |
| 2001 | London's Burning | Cpl. Richard Frost | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Law & Order | Lonnie Liston | Episode: "3 Dawg Night" |
| 2002 | The Inspector Lynley Mysteries | Robert Gabriel | Episode: "Payment in Blood" |
| 2002 | Hack | Mac Boone | Episode: "My Alibi" |
| 2002–2004 | The Wire | Russell "Stringer" Bell | 37 episodes |
| 2003 | CSI: Miami | Angelo Sedaris | Episode: "The Best Defense" |
| 2003 | Queens Supreme | Carla | Episode: "Mad About You" |
| 2003 | Soul Food | Smitty | Episode: "Sacrifice Fly" |
| 2005 | Girlfriends | Paul | Episode: "All in a Panic" |
| 2005 | Sometimes in April | Augustin Muganza | Television film |
| 2005 | Jonny Zero | Hodge | Episode: "To Serve and to Protect" |
| 2006 | All in the Game | Paul | Television film |
| 2008 | The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency | Charles Gotso | Episode: "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" |
| 2009 | The Office | Charles Miner | 7 episodes |
| 2010 | The Big C | Lenny | 4 episodes |
| 2010 | Walk Like a Panther | Executive producer | |
| 2010–2011, 2013, 2015, 2019 | Luther | John Luther | 20 episodes; also associate producer |
| 2011 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force | Police Officer | Voice role; episode: "Intervention" |
| 2011 | How Hip Hop Changed the World | Executive producer | |
| 2011 | Demons Never Die | Executive producer | |
| 2012 | Idris Elba's How Clubbing Changed the World | Himself | Television documentary |
| 2013 | Idris Elba: King of Speed | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2013, 2015 | Playhouse Presents | Akuna's Father, Narrator | Also wrote and directed "The Pavement Psychologist" |
| 2015 | Idris Elba: No Limits | Himself | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Guerrilla | Kentoro "Kent" Abbasi | 4 episodes; also executive producer |
| 2017 | Five by Five | Alpha Ash | 2 episodes; also executive producer |
| 2017 | Idris Elba: Fighter | Himself | Miniseries; also executive producer |
| 2017 | The Best FIFA Football Awards 2017 | Himself | Television special |
| 2018–2020 | In the Long Run | Walter Easmon | 19 episodes; also creator |
| 2018 | The Best FIFA Football Awards 2018 | Himself | Television special |
| 2019 | Saturday Night Live | Himself | Episode: "Idris Elba/Khalid" |
| 2019 | Turn Up Charlie | Charlie Ayo | 8 episodes; also creator and executive producer |
| 2020 | Coronavirus, Explained | Narrator | Episode: "How to Cope" |
| 2020 | Idris Elba Meets Paul McCartney | Himself | 60-minute BBC special |
| 2022 | Idris Elba's Fight School | Himself | Five-part series |
| 2022 | Zootopia+ | Chief Bogo | Voice role, episode: "So You Think You Can Prance?" |
| 2023 | What If...? | Heimdall | Voice role, episode: "What if... Hela Found the Ten Rings?" |
| 2023–present | Hijack | Sam Nelson | Main role |
| 2024 | Knuckles | Knuckles the Echidna | Voice role, miniseries; also executive producer |
| 2025 | Our Knife Crime Crisis | Himself | Television special |
| 2025 | The Simpsons | The Devil | Voice role, episode: "Treehouse of Horror XXXVI" |
| TBA | Filming |