(CNN) “Luther” star Idris Elba is teaming up with Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu to champion representation and diverse storytelling in the global film and television industry.
The Golden Globe winner, who hails from Sierra Leone and Ghana, will work with Abudu to develop emerging talent from Africa through their respective production companies Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media, the two said in a joint statement on Thursday.
The partnership takes a two-pronged approach: equipping students at EbonyLife Creative Academy in Lagos, Nigeria with the skills and experience they need to thrive in a competitive industry, and bringing a range of authentic African films and TV shows to the global market to produce .
The announcement comes seven years after Elba stood up in the UK Parliament and spoke about the importance of diversity on screen for society as a whole. In 2020, he called for more diversity in an essay for the British newspaper Times, writing that “when the going gets tough, diversity often suffers” and “we have a duty to develop new talent”.
The actor best known for starring in TV show The Wire and Hollywood films such as Beast, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and The Suicide Squad is” wants to work with emerging African filmmakers to ensure the continent’s talent gets the attention it deserves.
“I’ve always been passionate about using my platform to make a positive impact,” Elba said in a statement. “By partnering with Mo, we aim to provide the next generation of storytellers with free, world-class industry education and bring their authentic voices to the fore.”
Through her Lagos-based company EbonyLife Media, Abudu has produced original TV shows and produced hit Nollywood films such as ‘Fifty’ and ‘The Wedding Party’. In 2020, she signed a multi-title deal with streaming giant Netflix to create two original series and several films. The company has also formed partnerships with television and film companies such as Sony Pictures Television, BBC, Lionsgate and Starz.
EbonyLife Creative Academy, launched by Abudu in 2021, provides free education, mentoring and production training to 480 students in the film and television industry each year.
The four-semester program, which includes courses such as acting, screenwriting and sound, is open to applicants aged 18 and over and is funded by a mix of government grants and private donations. After graduation, former students can continue to hone their skills as trainees in EbonyLife projects.
Speaking to CNN, Abudu said Elba approached her about replicating the EbonyLife Creative Academy model across the continent after seeing the impact of the original school in Lagos, and said the couple’s long-term strategy was to move in set up another 10 to 15 academies over the next five years.
“We’re doing something we haven’t done with any of our other partners, which is building capacity across the continent,” she said. “If we’re to ensure we’re competitive globally, we need to make sure our aspiring filmmakers have those skills.”
Elba described his collaboration with Abudu as “a step towards creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape that represents the voices and experiences of Africa and its diaspora around the world”.
Abudu told CNN she recognizes the power of film as a vehicle for positive change and believes working with Elba is “another step in the right direction” in building and fostering authentic representation.
“There are stories that need to be told and I’m excited that together we can build a nice list of projects to present to these streamers and broadcasters and we can say, ‘Listen, the time is now.’ “