Idris Elba: Marvel superhero films are torture
Actor played Heimdall in Thor
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.While the rest of the world continues its semi-ironic enjoyment of Captain America 5: Age of Iron Man v Guardians of Future Past etc etc, Thor and Avengers: Age of Ultron star Idris Elba has admitted that Marvel films are "torture" and that they "ripped his heart out".
In an interview with the Telegraph, the actor explained how depressing it was switching from playing Nelson Mandela to playing a gold armour-clad Norse god dangling on a string in front of a green screen.
"I’d just done eight months in South Africa. I came to England and the day I came back I had to do reshoots on Thor 2." he said.
"I was like, ‘This is torture, man. I don’t want to do this.’ My agent said: ‘You have to, it’s part of the deal.'"
Explaining the scene that led him to that emotion, he detailed: "I’m actually falling down from a spaceship, so they had to put me in harness in this green-screen studio.
"And in between takes I was stuck there, fake hair stuck on to my head with glue, this f*cking helmet, while they reset. And I’m thinking: ‘24 hours ago, I was Mandela’.
"When I walked into the set the extras called me Madiba. I was literally walking in this man’s boots.
"[Within] six months, the crew, we were all so in love with this film we had made. I was him. I was Mandela, practically.
"Then there I was, in this stupid harness, with this wig and this sword and these contact lenses. It ripped my heart out."
Elba recently let slip that Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) would feature in Avengers: Age of Ultron, which director Joss Whedon said might result in him being sent an email with "an attitude of scold".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments