Idris Elba Deserves The Best Actor Oscar For Nelson Mandela Role, Harvey Weinstein Insists

If hugely successful producer Harvey Weinstein has his way, Idris Elba will be walking away with the Best Actor Oscar come March 2, for his portrayal of the late South African president Nelson Mandela.
Weinstein has spoken out on his latest movie which received it's London premiere on Thursday night, the same evening that Mandela died in Johannesburg, aged 95.
Luther star Idris portrays the leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner in Justin Chadwick's biopic based on Mandela's own memoirs, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. The Weinstein brothers co-produced the film, and Harvey reckons Brit actor Idris is in with a huge chance of scooping top prizes during awards season 2014.
"If every girl in my office is right, he's winning the world's sexiest man next year on top of maybe an Oscar," the producer quipped, according to the Press Assocation, with the actor himself adding:
"Would I like an Oscar? Yah man!"
Idris will have stiff competition though from other hottly tipped contenders who include Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years A Slave, Leonardo DiCaprio for his latest team up with Martin Scorsese, The Wolf Of Wall Street and Matthew McConaughey in the Dallas Buyers Club.
The 41-year-old revealed this week that he based his performance on his own father, telling The Sun: ''Ironically I looked just like my old man. I designed my Mandela on my dad.''
Besides taking on the revolutionary anti-apartheid leader, Idris explained that this role has a special place in his heart; as it was the last time his dad saw him on screen before passing away at the age of 76, due to a long fight with lung cancer.
"It's a sad film and now, when I think about it, it must have been emotional for him. He must have known. We were all in denial. It was a great moment to share,'' he explained.
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom will be released in cinemas on January 3.