Playing DCI John Luther sounds like the perfect job. You get a nice overcoat, some smooth one-liners and the freedom to brood into the distance for whole minutes at a time.
But in a recent interview with the Radio Times, Idris Elba revealed that role isn’t as fun as you might think.
“It’s a tough show to make; it’s not fun making Luther,” the 46-year-old actor said.
“It’s very gruelling. Tough, long hours and obviously because of the nature of the type of show it is, it deals with murder, it’s depressing if I’m honest. But it’s a good bit of drama and the fans really love it.”
The show is filmed in the Autumn to give it its quintessentially English (read: gloomy) atmosphere.
“We don’t make Luther in the summer. We’re on holiday having a good time, we don’t want to make it then! You want to make it when it’s cold; it sets the mood and the feeling for the type of show it is.”
Talking about the upcoming fifth series, Elba compared John Luther to Batman – “but without the mask and the funny ears.”
“London becomes Gotham city, the bad guys become the Joker,” he said. “And here is this crusader character who rolls in in his Volvo. It’s not a Batmobile but it has those characteristics, so when I put the coat on I feel like I’m playing a superhero to some degree.”
Nick Pope is the Site Director of Esquire, overseeing digital strategy for the brand.
