Idris Elba Spilled About His Stressful Appearance At Harry And Meghan’s Wedding

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was undoubtedly the big social event of 2018. It was one of the most star-studded too: the likes of Oprah, Elton John, James Corden, and the Beckhams were in attendance. Idris Elba was also among the A-listers invited to the royal nuptials. But for the British movie star, Harry and Meghan’s special day was a cause of great stress and anxiety.

Overshadowed

As a personal friend to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Elba was naturally on the guestlist for their momentous marriage in spring 2018. Along with the many celebs, family members, and friends who attended, a global television audience of millions tuned in to watch the happy event. For Elba, though, there was a shadow over the royal couple’s wedding day.

Cus he can

Given that not much seems to faze the Luther star, that’s a surprising revelation, is it not? Elba usually exudes cool and confidence — with a touch of swagger thrown in for good measure. And why not? After all, the London-born actor seems to be able to turn his hand to just about anything. It’s a truth he acknowledged — with his tongue firmly lodged in his cheek — in a catchy rap called “Cus I Can” recorded for a video on black music website GRM Daily.

Why he’s so confident

Elba has got good reason to be confident: the Brit has made huge strides in his varied and colorful career. It’s especially impressive given his humble beginnings as a young lad growing up in the London borough of Hackney. Interesting fact: his full name is Idrissa Akuna Elba, which he shortened to “Idris” in his teens. The Thor star was born to a Ghanaian mother, Eve, while his father, Winston, hails from Sierra Leone. Imagine how proud his mom must have been when she heard about this invite to the royal wedding.

Inspired

Elba’s dad worked in a Ford car factory, and if that all sounds familiar, it’s because the actor and producer used his upbringing for inspiration in creating the 2018 sitcom In the Long Run. Elba also starred in the comedy, which British newspaper The Guardian described as “a joyful portrait of community and camaraderie, of home and belonging, of dreams and joie de vivre.”

Luther

The star’s London upbringing also made him perfect for the titular role in gritty BBC TV drama Luther. Elba picked up a Golden Globe for his performance as troubled city detective, DCI John Luther. The popular show ran for five series from 2010 to 2019, garnering a string of gongs including 11 Emmy nominations. A Luther movie is now in the making, which Elba announced with an Instagram photo from the set captioned, “Oi……I’m back!”

Breaking America

But the British star first made his name on the other side of the pond — in Meghan’s home country, funnily enough. A 2001 supporting role in Law & Order got him noticed. And it led to Elba bagging a leading role in HBO series The Wire. The actor played crooked businessman Stringer Bell in the critically-acclaimed crime drama. And it seemed that the show’s success played a major part in kick-starting Elba’s movie career.

Rising star

He appeared in 2007’s scary sci-fi/horror flick 28 Weeks Later and the hit holiday romp This Christmas that same year. The actor scored a role in Guy Ritchie’s London gangster movie RocknRolla in 2008, after which he landed a supporting role in creepy supernatural horror, The Unborn. With Elba’s star on the rise, he was cast opposite Beyoncé in psychological thriller Obsessed (2009). The movie got a critical panning, but audiences loved it! What’s not to love about that duo?

Action hero

Critics were only mildly impressed by the Luther star’s next couple of flicks. But DC-comic-inspired The Losers and action thriller Takers — both released in 2010 — performed pretty well at the box office. And they demonstrated Elba’s prowess at playing an action hero. All this may well have led to his scoring the part of Heimdall in the Thor Marvel movie franchise.

Wowing the critics

But it was in 2013 that Elba really got the chance to prove his acting prowess. As the lead in biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, the star’s performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination. And while critics weren’t especially kind about the film, Elba garnered praise. Variety magazine attacked the movie for being too contrived, but wrote, “Idris Elba gives a towering performance, a Mandela for the ages.”

Playing the villain

In 2016 the Brit ventured into more family-friendly offerings. He voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia, and the villainous Shere Khan in the live-action remake of The Jungle Book. Elba also provided the voice talent for the role of Fluke in Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory. He returned to playing a villain in the 2019 Fast & Furious spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw. And the star made a recent return to DC Comic-inspired flicks too, as Bloodsport in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. But none of these roles is what caused him to cross paths with the royals.

Royal connections

It was actually down to Prince Charles. Without a grant from the heir's charity, The Prince’s Trust, Elba probably wouldn’t have made it onto our screens at all. The grant he received meant he was able to train at a prestigious drama college. And this, in turn, launched his acting career — and it led him to become buddies with Harry and Meghan.

Life-changing

In 2013 the star told British newspaper The Mirror, “I left school at 16 with dreams of attending the National Youth Music Theatre but was disheartened when I realised how much it would cost.” Elba went on, “It was The Prince’s Trust... [that] made it possible. They gave me a £1,500 grant and set me on the path that would eventually change my life.”

Befriending Harry and Meghan

The London-born actor has since become an ambassador for the charity, working to give other youngsters similar opportunities. And it was through The Prince’s Trust that Elba met, and befriended, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. He’s also spoken up in defense of the royal couple — where others have been quick to criticize — speaking warmly about Meghan to TV channel Sky News in 2017.

Defending the Sussexes

“Meghan Markle, as a person, regardless of her color, is a role model,” said Elba. “As a strong woman marrying into our royal family, she’s going to be a role model for any woman.” The Luther actor added, “The point is that of course our society is one of mixed heritage, and it’s nice to see Meghan within the royal family. It’s great.”

Controversy

Elba also voiced his support for the royal couple after their controversial interview with Oprah. As we all know, the explosive chat divided popular opinion between those who applauded the Sussexes’ honesty and those who condemned it. Asked for his view, Elba told TV show Entertainment Tonight, “I will say that everyone has to have their opportunity to speak up about what they feel.”

Seeing stars

Given his close relationship with the couple, then, what could have made the royal wedding so stressful for the British star? Well, you can certainly understand Elba’s anxiety, given the intensity of the media spotlight that day. But he wasn’t the only one with the world’s eyes upon him, as Harry and Meghan’s wedding guests included some of the world’s most high-profile A-listers…

Oprah

One of the reasons that the Sussexes later trusted Oprah with an exclusive interview is because she’s a close friend. Yes, the first lady of American television and Meghan reportedly first connected back in March 2018 when the chat show host was in London. A phone conversation between the two led to the duchess inviting her new acquaintance to Kensington Palace for tea.

Family bond

Shortly after, Oprah reciprocated by inviting Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, to her Californian estate for lunch. So the story goes, the two ladies did yoga together and Ragland was given some kumquats grown on the estate to take home. But it’s not just Meghan who has a connection to the media mogul. Oprah also collaborated with Harry in 2019 on a documentary series for Apple TV about mental health.

Dress drama

The royal couple and Lady O have since become neighbors, as their sprawling estates can both be found in Montecito, California. So Oprah was naturally included on the star-studded guest list. Rumor has it, the usually unflappable star had a last-minute panic when she realized that her dress was too white. Luckily, Stella McCartney was able to save the day with a replacement outfit.

The Clooneys

George Clooney and wife Amal — the latter dressed in a very becoming canary yellow ensemble — were also among the superstars in attendance at the royal wedding. But how did the Clooneys become pals with the Sussexes? Well, in case you didn’t already know, George is more than just a ridiculously handsome actor. He’s also a philanthropist, who has founded a couple of important charities with his human-rights lawyer wife.

Escaping the media

Clooney apparently met and bonded with the prince through their respective charity work. And shortly after Harry and Meghan’s wedding, the A-list actor and Amal invited their royal friends to escape the media circus surrounding them with a stay at their palatial villa in Lake Como, Italy. Clooney reportedly even flew the couple out in his private jet.

Elton John

And then there was rock royalty in the shape of Elton John. The singing superstar attended Harry and Meghan’s nuptials with his partner David Furnish. It seems that John has remained a support to both the prince and brother William, as a former close friend of their mother, Princess Diana. Of course, the music legend famously performed a reworked version of his hit song “Candle in the Wind” at Diana’s funeral.

Double the fun

Naturally, John was invited to perform; reportedly entertaining guests at the first reception. Yes, there was more than one reception. After the Windsor ceremony, the attending guests moved on to St George’s Hall for a lunch hosted by the Queen. That was followed by an evening reception at Frogmore House, where we like to imagine Her Maj swung her purse around the dance floor. Or perhaps not.

Celebrity DJ

Another celebrity was booked by the royal couple to entertain the guests at Frogmore House. And it was Elba. That’s right! Because as you might not know, the actor is also a rapper, music producer, and DJ. In this last guise, he goes by the handle “Big Driis” or “Big Driis the Londoner.” Crazy huh? Who would’ve thought that a serious actor and movie star would have a sideline as a DJ!

That’s a rap

What’s more, Elba is a darned good rapper! He’s displayed the talent on tracks such as 2019’s “Boasty” with grime artist Wiley. And perhaps being a performer helps, as the Thor star pulls off the vocal style with effortless panache. Like in “Daily Duppy (Cus I Can)” — the self-referential track mentioned earlier — where the Thor star raps, “Movies and music are part of the plan; might be the king of Africa cus I can.”

Musical talents

Back in 2006 Elba recorded an EP called Big Man and collaborated with hip-hop king Jay-Z on his 2007 album American Gangster. The latter went platinum, which Elba again referenced in his Daily Duppy track with the lyric, “Jay-Z plaque on the wall, cus I can.” Then in 2009 he showed his versatility with the deep house single “Please Be True,” produced with Martyn Henderson, a.k.a. Mash.

“Corny”

Elba’s debut single — for which he provided the vocals by the way — got some pretty good reviews. But the easygoing star was prepared for negative comments. He told The Voice newspaper in 2009, “Actors doing music is corny, I know that’s what people think and I accept that. But music has always been a way for me to express myself.”

Modesty

Proving that his swagger is mostly an act, “Driis” continued, “I don’t consider myself to be a singer, but everybody can express themselves through song.” He went on, “Whenever I’m in the booth, I imagine that I’m on a sound system. You know, the way you hold the mic and the way you swagger even if all the notes aren’t quite on point, the intention is there!”

Man of many talents

Elba has every reason to feel confident, given that he has performed with the likes of Mumford & Sons and Madonna. Yes, “Big Driis” was the opening act for her Madgesty’s 2015 Rebel Heart tour in Germany. Oh, and that voice you hear in the intro to “London Boy” by Taylor Swift? That’s Elba too. Yes, the talented star sure can turn his hand to most things musical. Including DJ-ing.

Under pressure

As a good buddy of Elba’s, Harry had seen the actor do his DJ thing before. But the Luther star still wasn’t prepared for the pressure of being asked by the royal to perform at his wedding. Yes — Elba was so stressed on the day of Harry and Meghan’s nuptials because he had been invited to DJ at their evening reception.

Tonight Show revelations

The Wire star discussed the experience during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in November 2021. Elba was on the show to promote his new Western movie, The Harder They Fall. And Fallon also brought up the actor-turned-musician’s recent collaboration with none other than Paul McCartney, on the former Beatle’s latest album McCartney III Imagined.

“A big, big deal”

“These are high-pressure gigs,” said Fallon. And the host wanted to know which had been the most stressful? “The wedding, without a doubt,” Elba replied. He continued, “This wasn’t like my cousin’s wedding. This wasn’t at the community hall — the reception. This was, like, a big, big deal.” The star has a point! After all, is there ever more pressure for things to go perfectly than at a royal wedding?

Intimate affair

The reception at Frogmore House was relatively “intimate” for a royal event though, with only 200 of Harry and Meghan’s family and friends in attendance. Elba has in fact DJ’d in front of far bigger crowds, such as at the 2019 Coachella Festival in California. But the Suicide Squad star still felt “a lot of pressure” to deliver a top-notch set for his “good friends.”

Royal beer pong

Let’s face it: Elba also had to follow up Elton John as the entertainment during the afternoon reception. No pressure then! But the celebrations at Frogmore House were notably less formal than the earlier reception hosted by the Queen. The evening do reportedly saw more speeches from the family, a dinner, and apparently even beer pong. Not exactly typical royal entertainment!

Meghan’s favorite songs

So how does one even begin to choose the tunes for a royal party? After all, the last thing you’d want is to have everyone leave the dance floor because you played Chumbawamba. “Meghan had sent me a playlist, so I knew what she wanted already,” Elba told Fallon. And that apparently included Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”

Ceremony music

Among the other significant pieces of music selected for the royal couple’s big day was “Eternal source of light divine.” Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas performed the song from “Handel’s Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne” during the service. And while most of the music was quite traditional, Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By Me” was an interesting contemporary choice for the ceremony, too.

Special song

On their podcast Archewell Audio, Harry and Meghan have also talked about some of their other song choices for the big day. The royal couple revealed that they chose a very special number, Etta James’ rendition of “This Little Light of Mine” as the music to be played as they left the chapel.

Inspirational

Explaining the choice, Harry said that he and his wife liked the song because it celebrated “the power we each have within us to make this world a better place.” And Meghan added that they had wanted something inspirational for the beginning of their new chapter as husband and wife. She explained that “it was the music that we wanted playing when we started our lives together.”

First dance

Clearly, the royal couple are fans of the “golden oldies”, as they chose Wilson Pickett’s 1968 ballad “I’m in Love” for their first dance. Aww. And Meghan chose to quote another source of inspiration during the podcast: Martin Luther King. The duchess referenced the iconic leader’s words, saying, “As we all know, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.’”