Idris Elba knows firsthand the toll aging can take on the body.
During a recent appearance on Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” podcast, the 52-year-old actor opened up about getting older and reaching his 50s.
“I don’t love that, at this [day and] age, the age of wellness and consciousness, is so upon us, yet our bodies fail us,” he said.
Poehler added that, in your 50s, a person can get hurt simply by getting out of bed. However, it’s not all bengay and heartburn. The “Heads of State” star noted how he can see his generation’s impact.
“Some of the coolest things — art, music, culture, some of the craziest world politics that set the dynamics for where we are right now — all happened when our emotions were blossoming, and our adolescence was growing,” he continued.
The actor, who is also a husband and father to an adult daughter, celebrated his 50th birthday in September 2022 with a lowkey celebration surrounded by friends and family, per Extra. During the press run for the film “The Beast,” he shared insights he gained upon reaching the major milestone birthday.
“Good people attract good people,” he said at the time. “Whatever you put out as energy, you know, you can be pretty sure that that’s the energy you’re gonna get back.”
He added that at 50 years old, he was “thankful” for his career and the things that had happened “good and bad” in his life up to that point, “because everything is a learning curve.”
While chatting with Poehler, he described how things change not just physically as you age but also internally and emotionally.
“Your influences change,” Elba said later. “I think in my 30s and 40s, I was blowing with the wind a little bit with what was influencing me, what my goals were.”
“And in the 50s, I’m like, ‘Nah. That wind has to pass around me.’ I’m not getting as easily influenced,”
At 52, Elba is also “not afraid of difficult things, or challenges that make me uncomfortable.”
Regarding the world-class wisdom that comes with age, Elba said, “I really wanna learn more.”
