‘F—k Him’: Idris Elba’s ‘Intense’ On-Set Moment with Denzel Washington ‘Pissed’ Him Off to the Point of Almost No Return

For Idris Elba, stepping into character is typically effortless. But while filming the 2007 movie “American Gangster,” the British actor discovered that not everyone approaches their craft the same way — especially Denzel Washington. Washington, renowned for his method acting, fully immersed himself in the lead role as Frank Lucas, the infamous Harlem gangster and former right-hand man to Black mob boss Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson. According to Elba, his dedication to staying in character created an intense atmosphere that would lead to moments of tensions on set. Idris Elba gets candid about “intense” moment with Denzel Washington in resurfaced interview. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage; The movie was filmed in the summer of 2006. But during a 2008& interview with Pyro Radio, Elba opened up about working alongside the Academy Award winner after being asked about his experience with both Washington and Russell Crowe, who portrayed Richie Roberts, the narcotics detective who took Frank Lucas down. He said he didn’t get to work with Crowe in particular, but when describing his time with Washington, Elba said, “Denzel’s intense, definitely intense.” He elaborated on the unique challenge of working with an actor of Washington’s caliber, saying, “I haven’t really said this to...