Idris Elba is taking yet another project, but it’s not on the big screen.
The beloved British-born actor is reportedly laying plans to work with Sierra Leone’s government to develop a smart city along the African country’s coast.
Sherbro Island is a renowned beach-filled paradise and the area Elba has his eye on for elevating to the next level. His company Sherbro Alliance Partners plans to collaborate closely with the country’s government officials to erect a special economic zone to economically stimulate the island.
“First of all, it’s a beautiful little island off the coast of Sierra Leone,” Elba told CNN in a recent interview. “It’s about the same size as Chicago, there’s about 40,000 inhabitants on it in different regions across the island. And Sherbro Island used to historically be the point of no return in the slave trade. It was where England had their capital city of Sierra Leone [when it was a colony], in a city called Bonthe, which is still there. And the relics of the city are still there: the grid system, road system, the old houses, the churches. It’s an incredibly historically rich part of Sierra Leone. There’s 19 miles of beachfront there.”
He goes on to tell the outlet that his business partner Siaka Stevens, who is the namesake grandson of the former president Siaka Stevens encouraged him cultivate Sherbro Island for tourism.
“That was seven years ago. Where we are now is that we partnered with the government to figure out a plan of how we can bring in tourism. Well, it started as tourism – now we’re building a smart, eco dynamic city.”
He adds: “The opportunity for Africa is to reframe how not only Africans see themselves via telling stories, but the opportunity is to have the world see Africa in a different way. And that’s where the creative industries can play a pivotal role. The fulcrum of the creative arts is that every single type of industry falls within it. You and I are speaking from microphones that are manufactured somewhere and based on their use in this industry, the cameras we are being shot on, the makeup that we’re both wearing. This is such a massive intersection of industries that create jobs and create opportunities. If we look at the creative industries as just singing, dancing and telling stories, we’re limiting what it actually is. It is an incredible opportunity for engineering, creativity, storytelling and heritage and propaganda.”
This is just the latest ambitious business project the award-winning actor has dug into.
As previously reported by ESSENCE, Elba announced the launch of his global content marketing company, Silly Face, last year.
“I’m at my creative best when I am relaxed, not anxious or considering all the ‘what ifs’, Elba said in a statement. “However, this isn’t always the atmosphere that creatives are faced with when brand building. SillyFace is here to bring back that feeling of creative excellence.”