43-year-old actor and father of two recounted the time he nearly died while filming Beasts Of No Nation on location in Africa. Appearing on the Jonathan Ross Show, he spoke of how he slipped six feet down a waterfall.
He explained: ‘We decided to do this waterfall scene where all these child soldiers were walking behind this massive waterfall. In Hollywood you would have just filmed a bit of water coming down and just shot people’s closeups but Cary Fukunaga, the director, decided to shoot it for real.’
The Luther star admitted he was quite relaxed at the top of the waterfall, falsely believing he was safe as he waited for the crew to set up for the scene.
He said: ‘The stunt co-ordinator says, “Listen everyone this is a waterfall, that’s a 90, 100 foot drop down there and the ground is very slippery, just be careful!”
‘I put my foot on this rock just to hang out and chill out while they were setting up and as I’m doing that it’s slippery, obviously. I slip [and think] I’ll be alright, I put my hand on this tree… it’s not a tree it’s a branch!
‘It snaps and I go literally about six feet before I go bang over and I got caught by the security guy!’
After Jonathan declared he could have fallen to his death, Idris joked: ‘Yes! Today’s news, Idris Elba dies by a waterfall.’
He also revealed the director caught malaria during the shoot but thankfully, he survived.
Idris Elba talks about the time he almost died on set
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