'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAQACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEERIFBhMhMQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAURAAIBBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQAEEUFhIf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AzMecu817LbDd1teyh32z4CLGK64VRFHlEBTJa3a4tmVwjCHZ6w/epz9HLjGDdboFYYWMeDrlUBawymSMpnJb7X//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Damson Idris recently made the news after going Instagram official with Lori Harvey. The actor took to his Instagram story to share a photo of him kissing Harvey’s cheek on the occasion of the latter’s 26th birthday.
He also shared another photo of the model from the set of his show, where Harvey is seen posing with two stacks of dollars. The latter also reposted the story with three white heart emojis, seemingly confirming their new relationship.
Idris has earned significant acclaim in Hollywood after playing the breakout role of Franklin Saint in John Singleton's crime drama Snowfall over the past five years. Although passionate about establishing a career in football, Idris decided to take up acting after his dreams of becoming an athlete failed to work out.
He started studying drama at London’s Brunel University and received a BA Honors degree in Theatre, Film & Television studies. Idris also continued to train at the Identity School of Acting alongside stars like John Boyega, Letitia Wright, and Malachi Kirby.
Speaking to The Native Magazine, Idris credited her mother and family behind his success and said:
“My mum has always pushed me to do better, and still till this day, she continues to do that. My family is the main source [of encouragement] to achieve what I’ve achieved today.”
He also recalled how his mother often asked:
“Damson, when are you going to go to America like Idris Elba?”
While Damson Idris went to Hollywood and managed to establish a successful acting career, he is not related to Idris Elba. While both men are talented actors who enjoy their own share of success, they do not have any biological connection despite sharing the name “Idris.”
Damson Idris opened up about meeting Elba during an interview with Desus and Mero on Showtime. He shared:
“It’s so funny, because the first time I met Idris Elba was at my good friend Edward, he was doing like a little party honoring Spike Lee in London. It was all these people there and Idris Elba was like, ‘Hey, come over here.’”
The actor shared that Elba also told him that people often ask him if the former is his little brother:
“I walk over to him and he’s like, ‘I know you, I know you, they always ask if you’re my little brother. You’re doing good, you’re doing good.”
Idris also shared that Elba’s role as Stringer Bell on The Wire helped him play his own character on Snowfall:
“Now I can call him on the phone. And I can ask for advice, man. This guy, Idris Elba, is an absolute G. I’m so indebted to him because when I was getting ‘Snowfall,’ when I was in the thick of it — probably I met him around season 2, 3 — I would call him and ask about ‘The Wire.’”
Idris called Elba a “transformative actor” and said the latter has “motivated” him:
“He works everywhere, he creates opportunities everywhere, and he’s still the same cool guy, still DJing. He’s just a vibe, man. I love him. I like to call him my big brother.”
Alongside their approximate 20-year age gap, Damson Idris and Idris Elba also come from different backgrounds. While the former is of Nigerian descent, Elba’s father is from Sierra Leone and mother is from Ghana.
A look into Damson Idris’ parents and family
Damson Idris was born on September 2, 1991, in Peckham, London, to Nigerian parents. He is the youngest of the six Idris siblings and has three elder brothers and two elder sisters.
According to The Native Magazine, Idris’ siblings have established successful corporate careers in law, business, and IT. Although Idris has embraced the Hollywood lifestyle, he remains close to his family.
The actor was raised by a single mother, Phillipa, whom he credits as his inspiration. Damson Idris told the Guardian that his mother is the inspiration behind his love for fashion:
“I've always loved fashion and it's because of my mum. When I was five, six years old, she would dress me up in three-piece golden suits with these black shiny leather church shoes with the gold buckle. And all my friends are wearing tracksuits and hats. I used to be so jealous.”
While speaking to GQ, Damson Idris said that he owes his success to God and shared that his mother instilled faith in him:
“Every single morning, I get on my knees, and I thank God for everything I've accomplished, something my mum instilled in me I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Him.”
Idris also spoke to Men’s Health about his most challenging scenes in Snowfall and said that certain dark scenes often brought back his old memories with his father:
“The hardest scene to film was when Franklin was in prison and had to confront Alton and Cissy through the mirror. I was so deep in it, and my relationship with my father bled into the scene.”
Not much is known about Damson Idris’ father as he has mostly stayed out of the public eye. According to The Facts City, his father’s name is Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu.
