Posted in: Movies, Netflix | Tagged: a house of dynamite, idris elba, netflix

Idris Elba on His Portrayal of the President in A House of Dynamite

Idris Elba explains how a small moment in A House of Dynamite helped him humanize his on-screen president with a bit of his own personality.

Netflix's A House of Dynamite just dropped earlier this month, and naturally, it's already sparking debate. At its core, filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow's near-real-time thriller tracks the time between the detection of an unidentified nuclear missile and a possible strike on Chicago, cycling between military watch floors, the White House, and a president under crushing pressure. The setup is pretty simple (and arguably terrifying), with the launch basically scrambling protocols and allegiances while officials race to confirm origin and intent before the clock runs out.

Plot-wise, the film splits into three vantage points that converge as impact nears. In the Situation Room, staff triage incomplete intel and conflicting simulations. At Strategic Command, officers weigh interception options that may not arrive in time. Inside the Residence and West Wing, the president faces an impossible call with global fallout. Bigelow leans on procedure and human error to build dread, and the finale leaves some viewers arguing (on purpose). And (spoiler alert), the last moments cut to black without confirming the missile's outcome or the president's decision on how to proceed, a choice the creative team framed as an invitation to talk.

In A House of Dynamite, Idris Elba (Knuckles) fronts a sharp ensemble as the president, and now that audiences can see it, the actor also notes that he managed to utilize a quick scene to ground the character while bringing a touch of his own to the job.

A House of Dynamite Star Added Pieces of His Own Personality to the Role

When speaking with Screen Rant, the actor divulges, "[My dialogue with the kids] wasn't scripted. It was sort of like, this is what happens. For me, it was really interesting to be able to bring, I guess, a little personality into my President, who he is. Kathryn wanted this segment of the film to be anchored on a human being. This is a President that essentially is a civil servant, working class, civil servant, got to the top job. So he's as real as it comes. And his jump shot might've been messy, or it might've been whatever it was, but it was anchored on trying to be a real human being."

If you want to join the discourse or even the opportunity to enjoy Elba and co-star Rebecca Ferguson bringing their A-game, A House of Dynamite is now streaming on Netflix.

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