Luther actor Idris Elba has put himself up for auction as a Valentine’s date to raise money for charity.
In an online video, he offers bidders a “romantic evening” involving cocktails, food and “whatever your heart desires”.
“I’ll let you pound my yams,” the 44-year-old star continues before downing a glass of champagne.
Proceeds will go to WE (Women Everywhere) Can Lead, a charity organisation “working to empower and educate girls throughout Africa”.
Hotel included
The winner will join Elba for “a candlelit meal at one of his favourite restaurants”.
Flights and accommodation at a four-star hotel are included, according to the actor’s page on the Omaze website.
Interested parties have until 14 February to make a bid.
Elba also voiced Shere Khan in last year’s hugely successful Jungle Book film as well as producing and starring in Beasts of No Nation (2015).
He is also set to star in The Dark Tower later this year, a fantasy western horror film based on a series of Stephen King novels.
Elba is an English actor, musician and DJ.
He is known for playing druglord Russell “Stringer” Bell on the HBO series The Wire, Detective John Luther on the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013).
He has been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film, winning one, and was nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Elba has appeared in films such as Ridley Scott’s American Gangster (2007), Takers (2010), Thor (2011), Prometheus (2012), Pacific Rim (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Beasts of No Nation (2015, for which he received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor), and Star Trek Beyond (2016).
In 2016, he also voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia, Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, and Fluke in Finding Dory.
He will make his directorial debut in late 2016 with an adaptation of 1992 novel Yardie by Victor Headley.
In addition to his acting work, Elba is a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis (or Big Driis the Londoner) and hip hop soul musician.
In 2016, he was named in the Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World.
