Happy Birthday, Idris Elba: A Look Back At Some favori Roles 

Not only has the British actor been making the press rounds for his forthcoming film

, in which he plays a psychopath who shows up dripping wet on a nice family's doorstep, Elba recently graduated to true tabloid fodder, thanks to a well-placed mic lead that whipped the Internet into a salacious frenzy.

While the actor, who graced Vanity Fair's Hollywood cover in February, is used to being the center of attention, he tweeted that the below-the-belt interest was flattering, but misguided.

Luckily, Elba has other ways of capturing the public's attention. In films and television shows as diverse Stringer Bell in

, Elba has shown himself to be a nimble actor, able to equally commit to playing a cop, killer, or paper salesman. After his 2013 performance as Nelson Mandela in

, Hollywood has come calling for Elba in a big way and after years as a co-star, he stands on the cusp of becoming a true leading man.

On the occasion of his 42nd birthday, we we take a look back at some favorite roles that Elba has played over the years:

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