Idris Elba said his daughter ignored him for weeks after not landing a part in his latest film, Beast.
The new thriller stars the British actor as a recently widowed father who travels to a South African wildlife reserve with his two daughters. What’s supposed to be a healing retreat turns into a fight for survival when a bloodthirsty lion begins stalking them.
Last week on an episode of iHeart Radio’s The Breakfast Club, Elba revealed that his 20-year-old daughter, Isan, didn’t speak to him “for about three weeks” after she lost out on the role to play his daughter in the movie.
“She auditioned, and it came down to chemistry in the end. She’s great, but the relationship in the film and the relationship between my daughter was... the chemistry wasn’t right for the film, weirdly enough,” he explained.
Producer Will Packer, who informed Isan of the decision, added: “I called and talked to her, ‘cause I’ve known her for a very long time.”
“I’m like ‘Uncle Will,’” he said. “[Elba] auditioned with her, he was very tough on her.
“He said [to his daughter], ‘Listen, at the end of the day we’re going to make the best decision for the movie. I trust you, Will, trust the director,’ and she was very good, very close.”
Leah Jeffries and Iyana Halley play Elba’s daughters in the movie.
Elba later praised his daughter, saying: “She was very gracious about it and we got through that and I’m really proud of her to go through that, not get the role, but still come to the premiere.”
Elba is currently married to Sabrina Dhowre Elba, who he said made him “open to the idea of love again”. He shares Isan with ex-wife Hanne ‘Kim’ Nørgaard. He also has an eight-year-old son, Winston, whom he shares with ex-partner Naiyana Garth.
Beast is out in cinemas now.
