No stunt doubles.
No special effects.
No second takes.
Just pure muscle and emotion. It's the real thing.
That's what actor and producer, Idris Elba went through as a part of his new series, Idris Elba: Fighter. It's a three-part series on Discovery Networks that will extend the Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee's body far beyond what he has ever done before. The documentary style series will see Elba undertake the physically and mentally demanding task of training to become a professional kickboxer — ultimately competing against a seasoned brawler in a no-holds-barred fights.
Shot on location in the UK, Cuba, Japan, South Africa and Thailand, Fighter is produced by Shine North and Elba’s company Green Door Pictures. DNI’s factual channels across more than 220 countries will air the series beginning in early 2017, including in the UK and the U.S.
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The 44-year-old sex symbol Elba says, “It has been a lifelong ambition of mine to fight professionally. Entering the ring to further test myself as a human being is a challenge I have been looking to take on for quite some time.” The series is described as intimate look into Elba the man, instead of the actor/star. You can find out a lot about a man when he's pushed to the limit, as you can see in the video below:
By the time most fighters are in the fourties, they are hanging it up, retired and often going to do something else. So Elba starting in is 40's is something to see in itself.
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During training, Elba discovers what it really takes to be a professional fighter and will push himself to the limit to overcome pain and fear, master specialized techniques and skills, and ensure both his body and mind are fit. He received mentoring from former world champions, trainers and coaches, and travel the world to incorporate unorthodox training methods and regimens to increase his chances for the main event. Elba does have some experience here, having done fitness kickboxing in his 20's.
Playing a tough guy in roles like Stringer Bell in HBO's "The Wire" or hit films like "Takers" and "No Good Deed", we will see if Elba really has what it takes to be a tough guy in real life.
The series hits your TV screens on Tuesday, January 17th.
