British actor Idris Elba turns 47 today! Originally named Idrissa Akuna Elba, the English actor is more like a one man army. With talents like writer, producer, musician, rapper, DJ, singing, race car driving and more under his wing, Elba is certainly a man worth swooning over. In fact, he is also one of the most bankable stars of today's time with a plethora of interesting roles and performances in his kitty. Apart from being a celebrated actor and artist, Elba is also a philanthropist. The actor has extended his hand at times of crisis not just for his native land of Sierra Leone but across the globe. Idris Elba And Sabrina Dhowre Grace The Bridal Cover Of British Vogue And Boy Does Their Marrakesh Wedding Look Extravagant!

We are certain that there is so much more to the 47-year-old actor that you probably don't know about. Sure, you must be aware of the fact that he is married to Sabrina Dhowre and that he plays Heimdall in Thor and Avengers series. But there is much more to this man than what you can see. With that, check out some of the facts about Idris Elba that you probably don't know about. Happy Birthday Idris Elba! Here's Why Marvel's Heimdall Is More Than Just An Amazing Actor

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Prepare to wear.... #2HRSET #Drop2 My 'Back to Back' collaboration with @2hrset and @officialfatboyslim 👊🏾

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He Started Off As A DJ

Before venturing into acting and becoming one of the most bankable stars of Hollywood, Elba started his career as a house music DJ. The names he would be addressed by were DJ Dris and Big Driis. You might think that he has put a halt to his DJ scenes but you're wrong. Even today, the actor opts to take up a disc and get the audience grooving with his remixed songs.

He Directed A Music Video For Mumford and Sons

You folks probably remember Elba being part of several music videos of the band Mumford and Sons. However, what you probably don't know is that Elba even directed one music video. The song Lover of the Light not just had Elba as the focal character but was also directed by him. Post this, the actor did direct a featurette that won accolades at film festivals.

He Is A Race Car Driver

Elba lives for the thrills and he gets his kick by exploring fast car racing and participating in famous rallies around the world. In fact, this one time, the actor broke a British land speed record in a Bently by revving the engines and speeding the vehicle at (almost) the speed of sound. It's not surprising considering how he grew up watching his father work at a car factory. As a youngster, Elba himself worked night shifts at Ford Dagenham.

His Celebrity Crush is Meryl Streep

The Thor actor has had a major crush on actress Meryl Streep. He has never shied away from expressing just how much he likes and appreciates the actress. Apparently, once, when he went to meet Streep, he was so nervous that his tongue literally swelled up!

Idris Elba Has Worked With Beyoncé

Did you know that Elba worked with Beyoncé Knowles in a movie called Obsessed a decade ago? It is a little surprising and a faded memory as not many would remember this. The film received good to mediocre reviews from fans and critics.

He Supports Arsenal Football Club (yes, he's a Gunner)

Gunnerites would probably be happy to hear this that actor Idris Elba is a die-hard fan of the Arsenal Football Club. Recently, the actor even collaborated with Arsenal and Adidas to be part of their advertisement.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2019 09:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).