British actor Idris Elba plans to relocate to Africa to boost the continent’s film industry.
Earlier this month, Idris Elba announced a new project, a TV series adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. The British star revealed plans to relocate to Africa within the next decade to support the continent’s film industry.
Elba, born to a Ghanaian mother and a Sierra Leonean father, shared his vision at a film industry event in Ghana. He expressed his desire to help Africa’s filmmaking scene grow and revealed upcoming plans to build film studios in Zanzibar and Accra.
“I would certainly consider settling down here; not even consider, it’s going to happen. I think I’ll move in the next five, ten years, God willing. I’m here to bolster the film industry—that is a 10-year process. I won’t be able to do that from overseas,” Elba stated.
The actor also teased his role as Okonkwo in the Things Fall Apart TV adaptation, which sparked some concerns in Nigeria. Despite this, he emphasized his commitment to enhancing African filmmaking.
He added that he plans to live in multiple locations across the continent, including Accra, Freetown, and Zanzibar, to immerse himself in diverse African stories.
Elba also highlighted the need to reshape the global narrative about Africa: “If you watch any film about Africa, it’s always trauma. But when you come to Africa, you realize it’s not true. It’s crucial that we tell our own stories—about our traditions, cultures, and languages.”
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