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Idris Elba is PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive: His 10 hottest roles
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  3. Idris Elba is PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive: His 10 hottest roles

Idris Elba is PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive: His 10 hottest roles

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Seija Rankin
November 06, 2018 at 12:03 AM EST
<p>Elba first caught our attention back in 2002 thanks to his role as sexy Baltimore drug lord Stringer Bell. It&#8217;s no surprise he was the breakout star of the HBO drama!</p>
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Russell 'Stringer' Bell, The Wire

Elba first caught our attention back in 2002 thanks to his role as sexy Baltimore drug lord Stringer Bell. It’s no surprise he was the breakout star of the HBO drama!

Deadline/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
<p>He captivated us once again while playing a brooding detective who hunts down serial killers. Swoon!</p>
pinterest
DCI John Luther, Luther

He captivated us once again while playing a brooding detective who hunts down serial killers. Swoon!

Steffan Hill/BBC America
<p>Show us another actor who looks this good in a costume that&#8217;s basically a pile of rags, and we&#8217;ll show you someone who still doesn&#8217;t look as good as Idris Elba.&nbsp;Thor isn&#8217;t worthy.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Heimdall, Marvel Cinematic Universe

Show us another actor who looks this good in a costume that’s basically a pile of rags, and we’ll show you someone who still doesn’t look as good as Idris Elba. Thor isn’t worthy. 

Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios
<p>Elba became the sexiest man in the paper business when he took over as Dunder Mifflin&#8217;s vice president of the Northeast region at the end of the show&#8217;s fourth season. His good looks were a running gag on the show, with Miner confessing at one point, &#8220;I am aware of my effect on women.&#8221;</p>
pinterest
Charles Miner, The Office

Elba became the sexiest man in the paper business when he took over as Dunder Mifflin’s vice president of the Northeast region at the end of the show’s fourth season. His good looks were a running gag on the show, with Miner confessing at one point, “I am aware of my effect on women.”

Chris Haston/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
<p>He&#8217;s a surgeon, he wears the most well-tailored coat we&#8217;ve ever seen, and he (spoiler alert!) saves Kate Winslet&nbsp;<em>and</em> a stranger&#8217;s dog after they&#8217;re stranded on a mountain. Hello, dream man.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Dr. Ben Bass, The Mountain Between Us

He’s a surgeon, he wears the most well-tailored coat we’ve ever seen, and he (spoiler alert!) saves Kate Winslet and a stranger’s dog after they’re stranded on a mountain. Hello, dream man. 

20th Century Fox
<p>It&#8217;s the future, there&#8217;s a portal in the bottom of the ocean that&#8217;s letting monsters into the world, and giant robot killer defenders are everywhere. But never fear, because Idris Elba and his metal suit are here. We know that his armor isn&#8217;t&nbsp;<em>actually</em> the same as his pecs and six-pack, but we still don&#8217;t hate this view.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Stacker Pentecost, Pacific Rim

It’s the future, there’s a portal in the bottom of the ocean that’s letting monsters into the world, and giant robot killer defenders are everywhere. But never fear, because Idris Elba and his metal suit are here. We know that his armor isn’t actually the same as his pecs and six-pack, but we still don’t hate this view. 

Kerry Hayes
<p>One more for good measure, because Elba&#8217;s&nbsp;<em>Pacific Rim</em> wardrobe was really just a gift to mankind.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Stacker Pentecost, Pacific Rim

One more for good measure, because Elba’s Pacific Rim wardrobe was really just a gift to mankind. 

Legendary Pictures/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
<p>Nothing about this role (or movie) was fun &mdash; it&#8217;s about child soldiers, and Elba plays a battalion leader of an unspecified West African country who brings a young boy into his army &mdash; but the sight of him in that beret made it all slightly easier to watch.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Commandant, Beasts of No Nation

Nothing about this role (or movie) was fun — it’s about child soldiers, and Elba plays a battalion leader of an unspecified West African country who brings a young boy into his army — but the sight of him in that beret made it all slightly easier to watch. 

Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
<p>Do not adjust your screens: Idris Elba really did star in a movie opposite Beyonc&eacute;. And no, we don&#8217;t know how they fit that much attractiveness into 90 minutes.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Derek, Obsessed

Do not adjust your screens: Idris Elba really did star in a movie opposite Beyoncé. And no, we don’t know how they fit that much attractiveness into 90 minutes. 

Screen Gems/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
<p>We suggest re-watching this Christmas classic in the following manner: Fast-forward through all of the Chris Brown scenes and hit pause on all of the Idris Elba scenes. He&#8217;s the gift that keeps on giving.</p>
pinterest
Quentin Whitfield, This Christmas

We suggest re-watching this Christmas classic in the following manner: Fast-forward through all of the Chris Brown scenes and hit pause on all of the Idris Elba scenes. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Suzanne Tenner/Facilitator/Rainforest/Screen Gems/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
<p>As it turns out, Idris Elba can litigate the crap out of a high-end gambling ring case &mdash; and look darn good while doing it.&nbsp;</p>
pinterest
Charlie Jaffey, Molly's Game

As it turns out, Idris Elba can litigate the crap out of a high-end gambling ring case — and look darn good while doing it. 

Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
1 of 11

Advertisement
1 of 11 Deadline/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Russell 'Stringer' Bell, The Wire

Elba first caught our attention back in 2002 thanks to his role as sexy Baltimore drug lord Stringer Bell. It’s no surprise he was the breakout star of the HBO drama!

Advertisement
2 of 11 Steffan Hill/BBC America

DCI John Luther, Luther

He captivated us once again while playing a brooding detective who hunts down serial killers. Swoon!

3 of 11 Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios

Heimdall, Marvel Cinematic Universe

Show us another actor who looks this good in a costume that’s basically a pile of rags, and we’ll show you someone who still doesn’t look as good as Idris Elba. Thor isn’t worthy. 

Advertisement
4 of 11 Chris Haston/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Charles Miner, The Office

Elba became the sexiest man in the paper business when he took over as Dunder Mifflin’s vice president of the Northeast region at the end of the show’s fourth season. His good looks were a running gag on the show, with Miner confessing at one point, “I am aware of my effect on women.”

Advertisement
5 of 11 20th Century Fox

Dr. Ben Bass, The Mountain Between Us

He’s a surgeon, he wears the most well-tailored coat we’ve ever seen, and he (spoiler alert!) saves Kate Winslet and a stranger’s dog after they’re stranded on a mountain. Hello, dream man. 

Advertisement
6 of 11 Kerry Hayes

Stacker Pentecost, Pacific Rim

It’s the future, there’s a portal in the bottom of the ocean that’s letting monsters into the world, and giant robot killer defenders are everywhere. But never fear, because Idris Elba and his metal suit are here. We know that his armor isn’t actually the same as his pecs and six-pack, but we still don’t hate this view. 

Advertisement
7 of 11 Legendary Pictures/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Stacker Pentecost, Pacific Rim

One more for good measure, because Elba’s Pacific Rim wardrobe was really just a gift to mankind. 

Advertisement
8 of 11 Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock

Commandant, Beasts of No Nation

Nothing about this role (or movie) was fun — it’s about child soldiers, and Elba plays a battalion leader of an unspecified West African country who brings a young boy into his army — but the sight of him in that beret made it all slightly easier to watch. 

Advertisement
9 of 11 Screen Gems/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Derek, Obsessed

Do not adjust your screens: Idris Elba really did star in a movie opposite Beyoncé. And no, we don’t know how they fit that much attractiveness into 90 minutes. 

Advertisement
10 of 11 Suzanne Tenner/Facilitator/Rainforest/Screen Gems/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

Quentin Whitfield, This Christmas

We suggest re-watching this Christmas classic in the following manner: Fast-forward through all of the Chris Brown scenes and hit pause on all of the Idris Elba scenes. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Advertisement
11 of 11 Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock

Charlie Jaffey, Molly's Game

As it turns out, Idris Elba can litigate the crap out of a high-end gambling ring case — and look darn good while doing it. 

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