Beasts of No Nation takes Idris Elba into disturbing territory

Forget about this whole "street" business:Idris Elba's got range.

Just two years ago, Elba was earning praise for his film portrayal of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. Now, the accolades are rolling in again, this time for portraying an altogether different type of leader.

InBeasts of No Nation,he playsa villainous West African commander who builds an army of child soldiers by molding them with equal doses of fatherly affection and horrific abuse.

"Other side of the spectrum," Elba concedes with a laugh when asked to compare the two roles.

"I think that in the span of a career of an actor, it's important to have everything," he told CBC'sWendyMesley in Torontoearlier this fall.

"Nelson Mandela is an almost god-like character, so playing him was like, 'Where do you go from here?'"

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The choice to take on the role of Beasts'Commandant appears to have been a good one for Elba. Based on a novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, the Netflix movie a first for the streaming service and available Fridayis already earningOscar buzz.

Elbahas stated that the role has allowed him to explore his own West African heritage but rejects the idea that he is trying to tell "black" stories.

"The characters I have managed to play have complexities," he said. "Human complexities. Not necessarily black [complexities]."

"Of course, I'm a black man and I play black characters. But that's not necessarily the experience that you get from the character," Elba continued.

"I think that's the future of filmmaking when you talk about diversity."

'Everyone has an opinion'

And how does Elba respond to the tempest surrounding author and fellowBritAnthonyHorowitz'scomment that he is "too street" to play James Bond, a quintessentially British character? It was widely construedas a thinly veiledracist remark.

Shifting back in his chair, the actor clearly wasn't too keen on the question.

"If I'm honest, I'm like on a 19-hour day and I hear that and it doesn't change my life," he said.

Still, he addressed the controversy, musing "What does the word 'street' mean?

"It's a stereotype and so on and so forth. Of course it's going to be shocking. But like I said, from my perspective, everyone has a nose and everyone has an opinion."

So is he street?

"I'm definitely from the street," Elba said.

Watch an excerpt of Mesley's interview in the video above or tune intoFriday's The Nationalfor thefull interview.