Idris Elba Almost Died While Filming ‘Beasts Of No Nation’

Idris Elba recounts near death experience

Actor Idris Elba has revealed he had a close shave with death while shooting his latest film, Beasts Of No Nation.

“I nearly died,” Elba reportedly said on The Jonathan Ross Show. “We decided to do this waterfall scene where all these child soldiers were walking behind this massive waterfall. Cary Fukunaga, the director, decided to shoot it for real.”

Elba had played the role of Commandant in the movie, leading a rebel group of soldiers in an African nation.

“We went to this waterfall and in this scene my character is standing there watching all the child soldiers go past,” Elba continued.

“Now in the setup of that, the stunt coordinator says, ‘Listen everyone, this is a waterfall, that’s a 90-, 100-foot drop down there and the ground is very slippery, just be careful!’ I put my foot on this rock… [and] it’s slippery, obviously. I slip … I put my hand on this tree — it’s not a tree, it’s a branch. It snaps and I go literally about six feet before I go bang over and I got caught by the security guy.”