Luther Star Set For ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ Film

Forty year old African born, British actor Idris Elba has recently been confirmed to star in a new biopic based on South African struggle icon Nelson Mandela’s prolific1995 biography, Long Walk to Freedom.

Videovision, a well know South African production company headed by Anat Singh, will produce the film. The director is rumoured to be Brit Justin Chadwick who was at the hand of the award winning The First Grader.

While there are the usual groans from local actors as to why a foreigner has to portray a South African, the film’s casting agent, Moonyeen Lee commented that the other roles in the film will go to South African actors, including the role of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

In the past, a list of very accomplish actors have taken on the role of Mandela including Danny Glover (Mandela), Sidney Poitier (Mandela and de Klerk), Morgan Freeman (Invictus) and Terrence Howard (Winnie). Only two South African-born actors have played Mandela these being Simon Sabela in a German TV docudrama and Lindani Nkosi in Drum.

Lee claims that there was a lack of suitable South African talent for the role of Mandela. Having previously worked with Elba, she decided to audition him. “I was free to cast a South African and I auditioned some extraordinary local actors,” says Lee, “But the main problem is the height. Mandela is a particularly tall man. On average, South African actors are not 1.9m.”

A recent Golden Globe win for his role in British tv series, Luther has contributed to Elba’s rising star. Elba is currently on our screens as Moreau in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and will soon be seen in Ridley Scott’s latest sci-fi, Promethus.

Source: Cinemablend