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Idris Elba opens up on ageing, says he isn't getting easily influenced

The 'Heads of State' and 'Luther' actor said that he was 'blowing with the wind' in his 30s and 40s, but now thinks that the wind has 'to pass around him'

Published: Wed 2 Jul 2025, 12:11 PM

Actor and musician Idris Elba talked about the challenges of ageing. The Heads of State actor appeared on the latest episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast and discussed the pros and cons of being in the 50s.

"I don't love that, at this age, the age of having wellness and consciousness, is so upon us, yet our bodies fail us," Elba said.

Poehler agreed, "The biggest bummer," joking in addition, "I mean, the fact that you can get hurt just getting out of bed."

Elba shared that for their generation, "Some of the coolest things — art, music, culture, some of the craziest world politics that set the dynamics for where we are right now — all happened when our emotions were blossoming, and our adolescence was growing."

Reflecting on another positive side of this age, he said, "Your influences change," adding, "I think in my 30s and 40s, I was blowing with the wind a little bit with what was influencing me, what my goals were."

"And in the 50s, I'm like, 'Nah. That wind has to pass around me.' I'm not getting as easily influenced," he said.

At 52, Elba is also "not afraid of difficult things, or challenges that make me uncomfortable."

"And to choose your own discomfort is like a privilege at our age," said Poehler," 'It's gonna be uncomfortable, but I'm gonna be in charge of it.' "

"We talk about AI and all that stuff. I refer to it as like, 'Wow. That's the future that we talked about as kids that was just in our imaginations, and here it is, " Elba was quoted as saying by People.