Idris Elba has recently expressed his ambitious desire to portray NBA icon Michael Jordan, linking it to his current promotional work for the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, where he voices the character Knuckles. During interviews, Elba shared the behind-the-scenes story of his interest and the challenges he faces when considering such a prominent role.
The Golden Globe-winning actor revealed during the promotional events for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 alongside co-star Keanu Reeves, "Well, just to be clear here, I didn’t tell Michael himself I’m not going to go ‘Michael I want to play you’, but I did put it out there... The internet laughed me out of the town.” While he admitted the skepticism surrounding his height—standing at 6’2”, which falls short of Jordan's towering 6’6”—he remains passionate about portraying the basketball legend. "He’s an icon, and his work off the court is fascinating," Elba stated, highlighting the business acumen and philanthropic efforts of Jordan rather than just focusing on his historic athletic career.
Although Elba privately pitched the idea of taking on this illustrious character, it seems Jordan may not be ready for his life story to be depicted. Elba reported, "He was like, ‘Ah, I’m not ready for it yet.’” Despite the hurdles, the dream of bringing Jordan's complete legacy to the screen remains at the forefront of Elba’s ambitions.
David Ben Affleck’s recent film Air, which chronicles the groundbreaking deal between Nike and Michael Jordan, refrains from having Jordan represented by another actor, opting instead to use archival footage of the basketball legend himself. Affleck explained, “Because, in my opinion, there’s no convincing anybody...,” reinforcing the idea of the challenge involved with such iconic portrayals, especially of someone like Jordan. The film grossed nearly $90 million, demonstrating the powerful influence and love fans have for Jordan even when he isn’t on screen.
On the other side of his promotional efforts, Elba also discussed his role as Knuckles from the Sonic franchise. He noted the fun and unique opportunity of working with Reeves—who voices Shadow—and the initial nerves he felt transitioning from the first film. "This time around, my confidence was definitely high," Elba mentioned, delighted to take back the role with more familiarity. He found unique aspects to Knuckles to embrace, such as humorous one-liners: "My name is Knuckles, and unlike Sonic, I don’t chuckle,” which Elba clearly enjoys.
Elba's chemistry with Reeves brought added excitement, noting it was both "weird" and "great" to hear Reeves's iconic voice aligned with Shadow, expressing admiration for his co-star’s talent. They were already familiar after working together on the hit video game Cyberpunk 2077. Elba even teased, saying he was "a little salty" about not being included as a voice character for the game but has enjoyed his part within the broader franchise.
The tagline of the film, along with the playful exchanges between Elba and Reeves, demonstrates the engaging and humorous nature of the current iteration of the Sonic franchise paired with the depth of storytelling Elba wishes to explore with Jordan’s legacy. These dual narratives showcase Elba's range not only as an action-packed character like Knuckles but also as he seeks the depth and complexity of depicting someone like Jordan.
Both Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Elba's aspirations to portray Michael Jordan flesh out the opportunities for actors to transcend their roles, venturing outside their typical boundaries.
Audiences can currently catch Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in theaters, alongside the anticipation for any future portrayal of Michael Jordan, showcasing the dialogues and ambitions of Idris Elba both as part of Hollywood's continuing storylines.
