2015 was a pretty solid year for Idris Elba. He stared in some genuinely excellent films like Second Coming and Beasts Of No Nation, returned to the BBC to play Luther for a fourth time, was constantly linked to being the next James Bond, and even dropped his own Superdry collection. But now he’s finished out the year by being awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE).
The Queen’s New Years Honours List came out last night, and Elba will be getting the award for services to drama. He was quoted in The Guardian as saying: “Awards and honours come in all shapes and sizes and all as significant as each other but this is beyond special as it comes from Queen and country and I couldn’t be more proud.” Maybe the Queen only just got around to watching The Wire this year?
Another big name on the list is Selma star David Oyelowo, who also gets an OBE for services to drama. There’s been a lot written about how black British actors like Oyelowo and Elba have had to go to the USA to get roles worthy of their talent and become big stars, so it’s great to see them getting recognition in their homeland.
Other notable names of the list include two times Tour de France winner Chris Froome who gets an OBE, as well as Goldie and Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn both getting MBEs
