Angie Martinez IRL - Idris Elba’s Mindset: Discipline, Romance & Balance

Summary

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Angie Martinez IRL – Idris Elba’s Mindset: Discipline, Romance & Balance

Joe and Jada Podcast (iHeartPodcasts & The Volume)
Episode Date: February 4, 2026
Guest: Idris Elba
Host: Angie Martinez

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of Angie Martinez IRL, Angie sits down with actor and global icon Idris Elba to delve into themes of discipline, romance, self-care, and personal growth. With the new year underway and Valentine's Day approaching, they discuss sticking with personal goals, what romance truly means, mental health, the challenges that come with success, and how Idris balances love, work, and self-care in his life. Full of candid moments and actionable wisdom, this conversation also sees Idris open up about his background, career, and aspirations for the future.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Navigating the State of the World & Practicing Gratitude

• Idris and Angie recognize the pressures of modern life and the constant influx of negative news.
  • Idris Elba (04:27):
    “When you really think about this time of where we are, what’s happening in the world, and what we are absorbing... sometimes I have to sit down and be like, I’m just so lucky to be here and witness what we’re seeing. To live through it. To be able to wake up in the morning and be like, wow, I survived another day.”
  • Coping Tactic:
    Idris purposely sits in stillness to absorb news and emotions, referencing skills learned as an only child (05:15). Without this pause, he acknowledges he gets overwhelmed.
  • “Good News Network” Discussion:
    Idris sees his role as an entertainer as a form of spreading “good news energy,” giving people escapism and positivity through storytelling (05:55).

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2. Discipline, Goal-Setting & Habits

• New Year’s Resolutions: Debunking the Calendar Myth
  • Idris Elba (08:22):
    “Those are not real times—they’re not real schedules, not real cycles of time. I start my New Year’s resolutions in July… It takes time to get to your new you. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, it takes discipline.”
  • On Habit Formation:
    “A new habit doesn’t really start forming unless you do it 21 days consecutively, no breaks. If you want to get to the gym, you have to do it 21 days, no off Sundays.” (09:04)
  • Sticking to Disciplines:
    Idris credits his early health challenges (eczema, asthma) and his strict parents for his disciplined habits, particularly around diet and self-care (10:08).
  • Preparation and Intention:
    Idris compares life ambitions to hosting a dinner: setting a goal is like inviting someone, but it’s the preparation—shopping, planning, execution—that makes success possible (12:04).

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3. Health, Happiness, and What Really Matters

• Idris Elba values health, happiness, and love above all else:
  • Idris Elba (13:47):
    “I’m happy to just be healthy, be happy, love and be loved. I would not swap my health or my happiness just to keep acting or keep doing stuff... From a simple base of health and happiness and contentment, that’s really important. I can do anything.”

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4. Self-Care, Burnout, and Relationships

• On Burnout and Personal Rituals:
  • Idris’s self-care when burnt out is to totally withdraw—he seeks silence and solitude to reset (16:19).
  • He discusses how being an only child influences his need for alone time and how that interfaces with marriage (17:05), finding balance with his wife’s larger family background.

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5. Handling Criticism and Guilty Pleasures

• Handling Criticism:
  • “I’m very proud that I don't really get bothered by criticism… it does bother me, but I don’t let it derail me.” (21:48)
  • He notes his drive and positivity can be “fatiguing” to others, and discusses the cultural friction of being a successful British actor in America (22:09).
• Guilty Pleasures:
  • Idris admits to loving Nigerian comedy skits online (24:23), finding humor in their unique style.

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6. Habits: The Good and the Bad

• Habits to Break:
  Idris wants to fix his lack of sleep, being a self-admitted night owl despite early mornings (25:21).
• Habits to Keep:
  He is actively working on not losing his temper or letting grumpiness win (26:01).

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7. Performance Anxiety & Longevity in Career

• On Pressure to Perform:
  • Idris admits the anxiety of hoping each project lands well, especially as an executive producer and actor where elements are beyond his control (28:02).
  • He works to always deliver consistency and quality, acting as if each job could be his last (29:42).
    • Idris Elba (29:42): “I just assume that this is my last job. I might not work again… I still have that mentality of not wanting to let it go.”

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8. The Next Season: Diversifying & Giving Back

• Future Aspirations:
  • Idris wants to branch out into more behind-the-scenes work—directing, writing, and especially charitable endeavors (31:44).
  • He’s passionate about building cinemas and creative opportunities in Sierra Leone and Ghana (32:52).

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9. Romance and Love: Redefining What Counts

• Valentine’s Day & Romance:
  • Idris self-describes as “tough love”—not naturally romantic in the flowers-and-candy sense.
  • Idris Elba (34:37, 02:13):
    “I like being encouraging to my wife. When she has moments of doubt, I like being that ear to be like, ‘Yo, you got this.’ And when she does that for me, that’s romance.”
  • Romance to Idris means acts of support, words of affirmation, thoughtfulness—like creating a quiet studio space or supporting a dream (35:36).

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10. Superpowers & Candid Reflections

• Idris’s Self-Described Superpower:
  • Idris Elba (40:03):
    “If you sit down with me long enough, you’ll see a version of yourself within my presence… it’s a superpower to sit with someone and—even if they don’t look like you—connect in a way that reveals your shared humanity. That’s what allows me to be transparent as an actor.”
• Vulnerability on Air:
  • On advice from “God,” Idris says it would be:
    “Go ahead, close your eyes, and just let it out... sometimes it’s better to just shut your eyes and just speak from your heart.” (43:15)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gratitude and Absorbing Life:
  “I have to sit still for a second and be like, whoa… to live through it, to be able to wake up in the morning and be like, wow, I survived another day.”
  — Idris Elba (04:27)

• On Preparation:
  “People can do anything they want to do, but did they do the shopping list? Did they check out the ingredients? Did they know how they’re going to cook this?”
  — Idris Elba (12:18)

• On Health, Happiness, and Contentment:
  “From a simple base of health and happiness and contentment… I can go out and make another 100 bucks. But if I don’t have those three or a version of…I don’t think I can do any of that.”
  — Idris Elba (13:47)

• On Burnout:
  “To define burned out… is when I don’t want to speak to anyone. I am very tired. And when I’m burnt out, I get grumpy, short-tempered.”
  — Idris Elba (16:21)

• On Longevity and Fear:
  “I just assume that this is my last job. I might not work again… I still have that mentality.”
  — Idris Elba (29:42)

• On Romance:
  “When she [his wife] does that for me, that’s romance. Like, she buys me flowers, great. But she just hugs me and like, ‘Yo, you’re doing your thing, homie.”
  — Idris Elba (02:13, 34:37)

• On Interpersonal Connection:
  “If you sit down with me long enough, you’ll see a version of yourself within my presence.”
  — Idris Elba (40:03)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic/Question | Timestamp (approx.) | |---------------------------------------------------|------------------------| | Gratitude and Managing Overwhelm | 04:14 – 05:55 | | Discipline, Resolutions, and Habits | 07:34 – 09:34 | | Health, Happiness, & Life Priorities | 13:47 – 14:43 | | Self-Care and Burnout Rituals | 16:12 – 17:47 | | Handling Criticism & Guilty Pleasures | 21:48 – 24:53 | | Habits: Breaking and Building | 25:21 – 26:26 | | Career Longevity and Job Anxiety | 29:42 | | Next Season: Directing and Charity | 31:44 – 32:52 | | Romance and Relationship Philosophy | 34:37 – 35:57 | | Superpower: Empathy and Presence | 40:03 – 41:38 | | Advice from "God" | 42:50 – 43:48 |

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Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

Angie and Idris keep the tone candid, heartfelt, and humorous. The conversation flows easily between laughter and deeper, introspective exchanges, revealing the strength behind Idris Elba’s drive and his commitment to self-improvement, balanced living, and real, sustaining love. Both share personal stories that highlight how discipline, preparation, vulnerability, and true connection are not just keys to stardom, but essential for a fulfilled and sustainable life.

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For Listeners Looking For...

• Insights into achieving goals and building habits that last
• Honesty about struggles even after reaching success
• A thoughtful redefinition of romance beyond clichés
• Abdul Elba's wisdom on balancing ambition and well-being
• Practical approaches to self-care and managing burnout
• Laughs, relatability, and inspiration for the year ahead

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Original, memorable, and wholly human—this episode offers a blueprint for balancing discipline, love, and self-care, straight from Idris Elba’s IRL playbook.

Transcript

[Angie Martinez]

This is an iHeart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

[Menelik Lumumba]

1969. Malcolm and Martin are gone. America is in crisis, and at Morehouse College, the students make their move.

[Hans Charles]

These students, including a young Samuel L. Jackson, locked up the members of the board of trustees, including Martin Luther King Sr. It's the true story of protest and rebellion in black American history that you'll never forget. I'm Hans Charles.

[Menelik Lumumba]

Our menelik Lumumba.

[Hans Charles]

Listen to the A building on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts are wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bowen Yang]

Seems like just yesterday that the Two Guys five Rings podcast was in Paris for the Olympics. And now we're heading to Milan for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. I'm Bowen Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers. And will join athletes from 93 countries as Two Guys Five Rings hits the Italian Alps for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Did we mention it's free? Search Two Guys Five Rings and listen.

[Angie Martinez]

Now.

[Black Effect Podcast Host]

Black history lives in our stories, our culture, and the conversations we still having today, this Black History Month. The podcast I didn't know, maybe you didn't either, digs into the moments, perspectives, and experiences that don't always make the textbook. Let me tell you about Garrett Morgan Bruh had to pretend he didn't even exist just to sell his own invention. Listen to I didn't know, maybe you didn't either. From the Black Effect podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or simply wherever you get your podcast.

[Jay Shetty]

Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. On a recent episode, I sat down with Nick Jonas, singer, songwriter, actor, and global superstar.

[Idris Elba]

I went blank. I hit a bad note, and then I couldn't kind of recover.

[Bowen Yang]

And I'd built up this idea that.

[Jay Shetty]

Music and being a musician was my whole identity. I had to sort of relearn who I was.

[Bowen Yang]

If you took this thing away, who am I?

[Jay Shetty]

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Angie Martinez]

So what is your definition of romance?

[Idris Elba]

I like being encouraging to my wife. You know what I'm saying? I love when she has moments of doubts. I like being napped that ear to be like, yo, you got this. You know, and just reinforce that she can do what she wants to do. And to me, that, you know, when she does that for me, that's romance. Like, she buys me flowers, great. But she just hugs me and like, yo, you're doing your thing, homie.

[Angie Martinez]

Words of affirmation.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah. You know what I mean? Just. That's romantic to me.

[Angie Martinez]

That's your. That's.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, that's romantic to me.

[Angie Martinez]

Thanks for watching, guys. Today's episode is brought to you by Boost Mobile. So this episode is going to be a little bit different today. It's not the traditional long form interview and I have an amazing guest, somebody who's a friend and a tremendous talent and just an overall lovely human being. Idris Elba will be here, but there's a lot going on in the world. Idris feels it. He shared how he's kind of navigating and staying positive and happy throughout that. We talk about this season of the year. This is like the time of the year. Like all the goals we set for ourselves in 2026, maybe they're not hitting like we thought they would be hitting.

Or maybe people kind of get off.

Their ritual that they tried to do at the top of the year. So he talks about navigating that and discipline and goals and how we stick to them. But also with Valentine's Day around the corner, it is the season of love. So we talking about romance and what that means to him and his marriage and his life. So. So plenty to learn from Idris Elba. He's going to pop in and then we're going to hit the bowl, we're going to hit the IRL bowl and we're going to hit a voice note. And I, by the way, I want to encourage people to check in. If you have any questions or comments, you can always send them to our Instagram page. DM us Angie Martinez, IRL. And that's how we find you. So without further ado, Idris Elba, what are you doing?

[Idris Elba]

Cutaways, baby.

[Angie Martinez]

What are you doing with this?

[Idris Elba]

Are you really doing camera crew? You know, about the cutaways. How are you, man? Looking great. What's going on?

[Angie Martinez]

You know, life, Life's, you know, what.

[Idris Elba]

A time to be alive, though, man. Like, should we just take a moment to take a deep breath and just.

[Angie Martinez]

Say, let's do it. Give, give me, give me this. Set it up, set up, Give me the scene.

[Idris Elba]

Seriously, though, like, you know, the, what we get to do as, you know, entertainers and entertainment, discussing life, discussing living from a perspective where we get to absorb stuff. You know, when you really think about this time of where we are, what's happening in the world and what we are absorbing, man, I have to sit down and sometimes and be like, I'm just so lucky to be here and witness what we're seeing. You know what I mean? To live through it. To be able to wake up in the morning and be like, wow, I survived another day.

[Angie Martinez]

Because people are not surviving.

[Idris Elba]

It's in a crazy state.

[Angie Martinez]

How you met, how do you manage that?

[Idris Elba]

I'm taking a moment to absorb because we get hit every day. News, you know, family. We get hit with stuff all the time.

[Angie Martinez]

Right.

[Idris Elba]

And by the time you've been hit with one thing, you haven't even had a chance to figure out what you're doing, that. How to react to that, what the impact is on you. You already moved on to the next. What I have to do and I have to do it is absorb. I have to sit still for a second and be like, whoa, I'm an only child, so I'm used to sitting quietly. Because you just had no choice. Right. And if I don't do that, I get overwhelmed. I get very overwhelmed. And honestly, like, just the news cycle. Good news does not sell.

[Angie Martinez]

I know.

[Idris Elba]

All we hear is bad news.

[Angie Martinez]

Start a good news network. You're very ambitious and creative.

[Idris Elba]

I just told you it won't sell.

[Angie Martinez]

I don't mean for the sales.

I mean for the humanity of it all.

[Idris Elba]

Well, it's funny you say that, because I see part of my job as an. As an actor as part of that good news energy. You know, I love that because I feel like I get to, you know, give people an escapist route, you know, via their imagination, via characters. I get to play. I get to talk to you, and we get to examine and talk about this stuff. I mean, that's like. Yeah, that's good news.

[Angie Martinez]

Okay, so I know you jumped in here, but can I just give you, like, an introduction?

[Idris Elba]

Yes.

[Angie Martinez]

We just started talking.

[Idris Elba]

That's how we do all the time.

[Angie Martinez]

I know, but sometimes you have to let, like, the host, like, introduce you.

[Idris Elba]

Sorry, I forgot. Who's the host?

[Angie Martinez]

I'm the host.

[Idris Elba]

Yes.

[Angie Martinez]

Our guest today has lived many lives as an actor, a dj, a producer, a global icon, a father, an entrepreneur, a wonderful human being. He's played all kinds of things, from a king to a crook to a.

President to a sea lion.

He's done all the things. He is now back on our screens with season two of Hijack on Apple tv. A career like this doesn't just take talent. It takes dedication and reinvention and discipline and all the things that we can learn from. So Idris Elvis, I guess, today on irl.

[Idris Elba]

Thank you. I'm Glad we did the intro.

[Angie Martinez]

Right. Right. It felt like something. It felt pretty good.

[Idris Elba]

When you said the sea lion, I was like, wait a second.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah, you are a sea lion.

[Idris Elba]

I was a sea lion.

[Angie Martinez]

It's all inside of you. Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

We did dive in and I was sort of just, you know, shedding. It's good seeing you. I love talking to you. You already know that. But, you know, we just dive straight into the.

[Angie Martinez]

The life, the life of life thing. Teach us in this, in a lot of people's season of life right now, because we're at the top of the year. We were talking about this when you came in January. Everybody likes to. It's 2026 now. All that we were 2025 is brand new, new energy. I'm going to do this.

I'm going to.

We have all these goals, we have big to do lists, ambition. And then I was reading something like by middle of January, sometimes February, it's gone. 90% of that shit falls apart for people. So I wonder from you as we talk about, and it's true what I said in the intro, like, you cannot have a career like yours without discipline, without goals that you stick to. And so I ask your advice in that for everybody who is kind of like on the new venture of 2026 at the Greater version of themselves.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

How do you do it?

[Idris Elba]

Listen, first of all, you know, people's, you know, we mark, you know, the annuals by a date, right. This is 31st is the first is the annual. Your birthday is your new new year. Right. But the truth is those are not real times. They're not real schedules, they're not real cycles of time. You know, essentially you are conceived nine months before you're born, and even before that you're alive somehow in some form. Right. So when I think about my time in. So, for example, you know, I start my New Year's resolutions midway between the new Year. I start my New Year's resolutions in July.

[Angie Martinez]

Why?

[Idris Elba]

Because it takes time to get to your new you. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, it takes practice, it takes discipline. And the fun fact, a new habit doesn't really start forming unless you do it 21 days consecutively, no breaks. So, like, if you want to get to the gym, you have to do it 21 days. No, off Sundays. You have to get up at 5am every morning for 21 days. And then your body starts to get used to that.

[Angie Martinez]

Do you do that?

[Idris Elba]

No, but it's a. It's a. I wish I thought we.

[Angie Martinez]

Were Learning from you.

[Idris Elba]

The idea. The idea of, you know, the ingestion period, you know, being longer.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

Is important to accept. Okay.

[Angie Martinez]

But you've set disciplines in your life. You probably have. You have. Probably have some rituals. I mean, you, you stay in. I've never seen you out of shape. I have never really.

[Idris Elba]

Baggy clothes, man. You know what I'm saying?

[Angie Martinez]

Stop. No, but you, you take care of yourself.

[Idris Elba]

You.

[Angie Martinez]

Yes, you're disciplined. About that, about taking care of.

[Idris Elba]

I think partly is that I was a. I was a kid that had eczema, asthma. I was in and out of hospital when I was five, six, seven, you know, and my parents, my mom. My parents were very strict on what I ate. Anything that would trigger me getting sick was sort of indoctrinated into me really early. So if I'm really honest, a lot of it is to do my discipline on the diet because I don't want to get ill. And maybe, maybe I overkill. I also, I think my. My career is super demanding. You know, I'm saying, like, I sort of live between someone that uses their brain and someone that uses their bodies. You know, an athlete uses their bodies every single day. As an actor, you. Sometimes you got to get up in the morning, go run in a scene. You have to think like an athlete.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

And in your brain, you're. You're absorbing and dispelling a lot of information that you have to learn quickly. It's like being a professor or a teacher, you know, I'm saying. I'm not saying that's what I do, but I'm just saying it's that sort of brain power. So I think having the habitual aspect of doing this sort of stuff keeps me in decent shape.

[Angie Martinez]

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It's funny is we don't always consider that people have big goals. I want to do this one day, but do you really think about what kind of conditioning you need to be in.

[Idris Elba]

Oh, yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

Able to execute that.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, exactly, exactly. I mean, but, you know, it always boils down to the basic principles of preparation. You know, I'm saying an intention.

[Angie Martinez]

What is that?

[Idris Elba]

You know, like. Okay, like, let's say, say, angie, I'm coming to eat on Saturday. You're like, you're coming. Cool. Okay, I've said it. But between now and Saturday, there's a few things that you're gonna have to do.

[Angie Martinez]

Okay.

[Idris Elba]

See, what I did there is how you do it. Set it up. But you're going to prepare. You're going to think about the menu, you're going to think about the money you have to spend on that. There's all these variables that you prepare. Prepare you for that meal. Yeah. It's the same in life, in my opinion. You know what I'm saying? Like, people can do anything they want to do, but are they. Did they go and do the shopping list? Do they check out the ingredients? Do they know how they're going to cook this? How long? What time's everyone eating? How many food? That sort of level of thinking is what you have to apply to everything. Yeah. And you do it when you're prepping a show.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

Everyone here, you're like, okay, this is what I need to achieve.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

You already cut the edit in your head before you even hear you know it.

[Angie Martinez]

I do do that. That's so funny. Even when you came in, I was like, I'll put the intro first and then I'll move that other part back over there. I already do it.

[Idris Elba]

I already told you, you're gonna be a good director.

[Angie Martinez]

It's so funny. Thank you. Me, you know, I just tried it for my first time.

[Idris Elba]

Yes, I know.

[Angie Martinez]

I had it kicked my ass real bad. It was very challenging.

[Idris Elba]

Really?

[Angie Martinez]

Yes.

[Idris Elba]

Very challenging.

[Angie Martinez]

Yes.

Because we did it on a small budget and I did. There's a lot of things I didn't anticipate and. But it's great. I can't wait to do it again.

[Idris Elba]

Because I'm like, anticipate. Yeah, that's the thing. Didn't anticipate the work, the tone, the tiredness, the things that might go wrong. And it's applicable to life generally, I think. You know what I'm saying?

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah. So what are your. Your goals for this year? Like, you can't. What could you possibly be chasing at this point? You've already done so much, my friend.

[Idris Elba]

I. I'm happy to just be healthy, be happy, love and be loved.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

I mean, I'm serious. These are the things that I really value. Like, I. I like doing what I do for a living, and I'm very thankful for it. But I would. I would not swap my health or my happiness just to keep acting or keep doing stuff. Because from a simple base of health and happiness and contentment, that's really important. I can do anything. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, you could take it all away from me. If I've still got my health, I've got some sort of positivity, as in happiness, and I'm content with just, all right, this is what I've got. I can go out and make another 100 bucks. So, I mean, but if I don't have those three or version of. I don't think I can do any of that.

[Angie Martinez]

You can't do that. Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

So I'm not really chasing anything special. I'm just, you know, I'm blessed, man. I'm lucky. I'm so lucky. And I get to do it again. Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

I have an in real life bowl.

Brought to you by Walden University.

These are questions about real life. I want you to go into the bowl.

[Idris Elba]

Oh, man.

[Angie Martinez]

And pick out a question.

[Idris Elba]

Do I have to be honest?

[Angie Martinez]

Yes, always. Are you an honest man?

[Idris Elba]

Yes. I'm guarded, though. I'm guarded.

[Angie Martinez]

Oh, like in an interview, like with the cameras on, do you sometimes say too much?

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, it depends on who's interviewing me.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah. Have you sent too much with me before? No, I don't think so.

[Idris Elba]

No. You and I, when we talk outside of the cameras, we talk deep. Yeah. And sometimes we might not agree on stuff. We don't want to air that.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah. And that's good, though. To not disagree.

[Idris Elba]

Great.

[Angie Martinez]

Disagreeing is fun.

[Idris Elba]

It's great.

[Angie Martinez]

You don't want to go walk around with people.

[Idris Elba]

I learned from someone that I disagree with because if they can articulate why they feel the way they feel, I'm like, yes, please. So I gotta pick something out, read it out, and then speak on it.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah. Just a real life questions. There's nothing dramatic or do you have a sound? No, but would you like me to.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

Adding.

[Idris Elba]

I think it sounds, you know.

[Angie Martinez]

It'S gonna be your voice doing that exact thing. Idris Elba has now become the voice of the Angie Martinez IRL bowl. And it's gonna go.

[Idris Elba]

It's gonna go. Okay, good. All right, so here's my question.

[Angie Martinez]

I hope it's good.

[Idris Elba]

What is your go to self care ritual when you are burnt out?

[Angie Martinez]

Oh, burnt out.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

Do you have a self Care ritual.

[Idris Elba]

To define burned out. For me, right, to be burnt out is when I don't want to speak to anyone. I mean, literally, I just don't want to see no one and speak to anyone. I am very tired. And when I'm burnt out, I get grumpy, short tempered.

[Angie Martinez]

No.

[Idris Elba]

I fell for that. I get grumpy, short tempered, and just short with people. That's my definition of burnt out. My go to ritual for that is to literally just be by myself. Just go somewhere where?

[Angie Martinez]

Quiet.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, quiet.

[Angie Martinez]

Silencio. You're a married man. You can't always be. How does that work in marriage?

[Idris Elba]

It's tough because you can't say to the wife, hey, no, you can.

[Angie Martinez]

Okay.

[Idris Elba]

I mean, I feel like my wife and I have that rapport. She has five siblings, I have none. So she understands that. I don't get it. Yeah. When I say I don't want to be around you, I'm good. She's like, yeah, but that's so extreme. I'm like, no, no, no. No, it's not. I just need to be by myself.

[Angie Martinez]

Because you're an only child.

[Idris Elba]

I am an only.

[Angie Martinez]

I am an only child, too. So I understand. Before you came, I was sitting in the room by myself.

[Idris Elba]

Really?

[Angie Martinez]

Yes, I was.

[Idris Elba]

And is that a ritual for you?

[Angie Martinez]

Sometimes if I feel a little overwhelmed.

I just need a minute by myself. It's quiet, think about what I'm doing.

[Idris Elba]

But you don't get grumpy. Touche. All I'm saying is.

[Angie Martinez]

Anyway, so thanks for coming by.

[Idris Elba]

I'm here on the job site with Dale, who's a framing contractor. Hey, good morning, Dale. Trade it up to Geico Commercial Auto Insurance for all his business vehicles. We're here where he needs us most. Yep, they sure are. We make it easy for him to.

[Jay Shetty]

Save on all his insurance needs, all.

[Idris Elba]

In one place with coverage that fits his business and bottom line. Oh, I shouldn't have looked down. It's all right. We're so far up here. Look at me. Take a deep breath. I'm good.

[Angie Martinez]

So good.

[Idris Elba]

Get a commercial auto insurance quote [e-mail] and see how much you could save. It feels good.

[Angie Martinez]

To Geico.

[Hans Charles]

Welcome to the A building. I'm Hans Charles.

[Menelik Lumumba]

I'm Menelik Lumumba. It's 1969. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Had both been assassinated, and black America was at a breaking point. Rioting and protest broke out on an.

[Hans Charles]

Unprecedented scale in Atlanta, Georgia. At Martin's alma mater, Morehouse College, the students had their own protest. It featured two prominent figures in black history, Martin Luther King Sr. And a young student, Samuel L. Jackson.

[Menelik Lumumba]

To be in what we really thought was a revolution. I mean, people were dying.

[Hans Charles]

1968, the murder of Dr. King, which traumatized everyone.

[Idris Elba]

The FBI had a role in the murder of a Black Panther leader in Chicago.

[Menelik Lumumba]

This story is about protest. It echoes in today's world far more than it should. And it will blow your mind.

[Hans Charles]

Listen to the A building on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bowen Yang]

Seems like just yesterday that the Two Guys five Rings podcast was in Paris for the Olympics. And now we're heading to Milan for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. I'm Bowen Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers. And we'll join athletes from 93 countries as Two Guys Five Rings hits the Italian Alps for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Did we mention it's free? Search Two Guys Five Rings and listen now.

[Jay Shetty]

This is Ryder Strong, and I have a new podcast called the Red Weather.

[Angie Martinez]

It was many and many a year ago in a kingdom by the sea.

[Jay Shetty]

In 1995, my neighbor, Anna Trainor disappeared from a commune. It was hard to wrap your head around. It was nature and trees and praying and drugs.

[Idris Elba]

So, no, I am not your guru.

[Jay Shetty]

And back then, I lied to my parents, I lied to police, I lied to everybody.

[Idris Elba]

There were years, Ryder, where I could.

[Angie Martinez]

Not say your name.

[Jay Shetty]

I've decided to go back to my hometown in Northern California, interview my friends, family, talk to police, journalists, whomever I can to try to find out what actually happened.

[Black Effect Podcast Host]

Isn't it a little bit weird that they obsess over hippies in the woods and not the obvious boyfriend?

[Angie Martinez]

They have had this case for 30 years.

[Idris Elba]

I'll teach you sons of come around here with my wife.

[Menelik Lumumba]

Boom, boom.

[Jay Shetty]

This is the red weather. Listen to the red Weather on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Angie Martinez]

Hey, guys. Support for this podcast is brought to you by Walden University. Have you ever thought to yourself, what if I could go after what I actually want and I could really make a difference? Well, you are not alone. And this is exactly why I want to tell you about Walden University. For over 50 years, Walden has helped working adults like you get the W with the knowledge, the skills, and everything you need to build the future that you want. And you can make a difference where it matters most. If you've been waiting for the right moment. This is it. Head to Waldenu. Edu and take that first step. Walden University, set a course for change. Certified to operate by Shiv.

I have some real life questions for you. Ready? Since you're on real. This is like speed round in real life. Speed round in real life. What are you most proud of about yourself? Let's go right in.

[Idris Elba]

Damn. Yeah, I am proud that. I'm very proud that I don't really get bothered by, you know, criticism opinions and such. It does bother me. I'm a human being, but I don't let it derail me.

[Angie Martinez]

What do people ever say bad about you?

[Idris Elba]

Oh, come on, man. Like, you know, I can be fatiguing to people because I'm always trying to overachieve. That's. That can be annoying to people. 100%. Yeah. I'm a positive person. Like, I'll always look on the bright side, and that can be annoying to some people.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

I'm a British actor that made it in America. That is annoying to some people.

[Angie Martinez]

That is annoying to some people.

[Idris Elba]

Recently, though.

[Angie Martinez]

Really?

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, man. When they didn't know. They didn't know.

[Angie Martinez]

They didn't know. We never would have thought Stringer Bell had an English accent.

[Idris Elba]

Here's the thing.

[Angie Martinez]

I always say, it really confused us. My granddad, we got over it by now.

[Idris Elba]

No. Okay, well, I don't think. No, there's a. There's a big culture divide at the moment, which is a bit painful to watch, but my granddad is American, Kansas City, so suck it.

[Angie Martinez]

You've been waiting to say that all day, haven't you?

[Idris Elba]

100%.

[Angie Martinez]

It's very hard to do in real life. Questions in a fast round, but I'm going to do it again in real life. What is your guilty pleasure? Idris Elba.

[Idris Elba]

Damn. So are we telling the truth here?

[Angie Martinez]

Yes, the truth. Only facts. Only.

[Idris Elba]

Guilty pleasure, man. I'm.

[Angie Martinez]

Who did we just have? We had. We just had Jill's cat on. She said, what do we. She said. She said Chrisean and Blueface's storyline is her guilty pleasure. That's what Jill said. I happen to love. I'm not proud. I happen to love the drama between Blueface and Chrisean Rock. I love it. I know, I know, I know. Now, what is it about this said situation?

[Idris Elba]

I know.

[Angie Martinez]

That does it for you. What does it bring up for you? I think that.

[Idris Elba]

That.

[Angie Martinez]

That's a pimp, and I think. I think that's a. That's a pimp. And I think that she got caught.

[Idris Elba]

Up with A pimp guilty pleasure. Okay, I'm just gonna be honest. Like, I'll be watching those Nigerian comedy skits. Yeah. Where the guy, the skinny guy is always after the girl with the big hips and he's trying to wash outside and she's just right in the garden. Then his wife comes along and he's doing something else. And they always do these sound effects. Oh, Jesus. Yo, I be bossing up.

[Angie Martinez]

That's pretty good.

[Idris Elba]

Way too much.

[Angie Martinez]

I have not gone down that rabbit hole.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, it's a rabbit hole. Nigerian humor is very funny to me.

[Angie Martinez]

I'm going. I'm going to do that. What is in real life, what is a habit that you have that this goes in theme with our resolutions and discipline? What is a habit that you are proud of and a habit that you are currently trying to break? You have any bad habits?

[Idris Elba]

The bad habit I'm really trying to break is that I. I go to bed way too late and I get just way not enough sleep. Yeah. Like, I will be up until 1 or 2 in the morning knowing I have to get up at 5.

[Angie Martinez]

You have the aura ring on. Doesn't it tell you?

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, I got this for Christmas and. And I'm starting to learn some shit. I'm starting to learn. I'm like, work on your rem. I didn't get that much. You know, I'm really getting into that.

[Angie Martinez]

Good for you.

[Idris Elba]

But that's a habit I'm definitely trying to break. I'm a night owl. I don't really love getting up early, but I can't go to bed early.

[Angie Martinez]

Have you conquered any recently? Habits?

[Idris Elba]

I.

[Angie Martinez]

New habits. Any good new habits?

[Idris Elba]

Good new habits. I'm being disciplined around not losing my temper, getting grumpy.

[Angie Martinez]

This is really a theme.

[Idris Elba]

It is. I find that I suppress that urge to be like, shut the up, man, all the time. I suppress it. Yeah. Because I get irritable and I'm better at it now.

[Angie Martinez]

It's come up a couple times today. I feel like this is something you're really battling.

[Idris Elba]

Well, you know what I mean? Like, I don't want to say it's like a relationship thing or anything, but I just find myself that the older you get, not the smartest person in the room, but you've just been there. And when someone hasn't been there and they're giving you advice, it's just like, man, listen, shut up.

[Angie Martinez]

Are you a grumpy old man when you get older, do you think, no.

[Idris Elba]

I won't be grumpy.

[Angie Martinez]

But I. I I feel like you might be going in a direction.

[Idris Elba]

Do I feel like a grump? Do I feel like a grump? It is a sweater.

[Angie Martinez]

I strive to be that, though. I strive to be that person that's grumpy. Not grumpy, but just. No. Straight all the way.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, I want that. No, I think that's a healthy place to be.

[Angie Martinez]

Right.

[Idris Elba]

I think in a world where everyone's bullshitting each other, be straight. Straight as a die.

[Angie Martinez]

And also, I think once you get to a certain age, you kind of earn that right. To your point of, like, you've experienced enough, you've seen enough, you earn the right to be a straight shooter.

[Idris Elba]

Exactly.

[Angie Martinez]

You know what I mean? Even if it offends or.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah. Insults. Offense.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah. Or insults people.

[Idris Elba]

And also, even though I said earlier I don't care about people's opinions, I find myself getting a little consumed when I don't understand what you're saying.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

Like, come on, break it down for me. What? What? And only to want to tell you to shut up.

[Angie Martinez]

Shut up. What about at work? What about in challenges? Do you still get that feeling of, like, wanting something to perform well, needing something to perform well, anxiety of how something's going to be received? Even is season two going to be received, like season one? Like, do you have that type of pressure?

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, definitely. I'm always calibrating and figuring out, you know, is what I work so hard for going to be received, what are the steps towards that? Some of it is out of my hands. You know, I put a film up. You know, Hijack two's coming. I don't know if it's going to do as well as the first. I did the work. I don't know how it's going to perform now. You can get bogged down with the minutiae, trying to be in the weeds. I find that very dangerous, especially when I'm an executive producer on the show and an actor. So it's a bit of a weird place to be when you're trying to make sure that the health of the distribution of the show is done well to your taste. Oftentimes it's out of my hands, you know, I'm saying. So I do find myself doing that, but I think you should always, you know, having good output is impressive. Everybody's impressed when someone dresses up nice or really good at what they do. Everyone's impressed by that. And actually, it's good. It's good that the world values their output. Yeah. I'm saying it's good.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

So I don't feel bad about that pressure, but.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah, but you do put the pressure on yourself.

[Idris Elba]

I do.

[Angie Martinez]

I'd imagine I do.

[Idris Elba]

And I don't do it in a way that is about, you know, performative. I just want to be consistent.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

Know what I'm saying? Like, I, I don't like doing things that, oh, why did you do that? It wasn't that great. Why did you do it? I don't, I hate that.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

You know what I'm saying?

[Angie Martinez]

You would have to be that to have this type of long. I think anybody who has, like, the longevity that you've had and be able to have a career, you have to shoot for greatness all the time. Right. You're never shooting to be average or basic or for some things to be okay.

[Idris Elba]

I, I, I just assume that this is my last job. I might not work again.

[Angie Martinez]

Really?

[Idris Elba]

Yeah. Still, is that crazy?

[Angie Martinez]

It is crazy.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

I mean, yeah, you have that fear and that fire still.

[Idris Elba]

You gotta remember, I was 29, 30 when I got the wire. You know what I mean? So for 30 years, I was broke and not hitting, you know, that output. And so, you know, I'm 53 now, and, you know, I feel like I'm just getting into my stride. I don't want to let it go. I still have that, that mentality of, like, not wanting to let it go.

[Angie Martinez]

Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock BET Florida Sportsbook. Listen, even if you're not the biggest football fan in the world, you are still tuning in. And maybe you want to get in on the action, too. I know I do. If you haven't signed up with Hard Rock BET yet, there's never been a better time. New signups can double their winnings on their first 1010 bets. Maximum 50 bucks. Plus you won't want to miss hard Rock bets. $7 million big game bonus party. Place a $10 big game parlay and you'll get a share of 7 million in bonus bets. Win or lose, every parlay counts. And the more you place, the bigger your share. So if you're in Florida or New Jersey, the Big Game energy doesn't have to just live on the app. You can head to Hard Rock Casino for drawings, giveaways, and all the excitement leading up to the kickoff. Or you could just go on the app. That's Hard Rock bet. Download the Hard Rock and make your first deposit today. Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC in all other states. Must be 21 and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida, call 1-833-playwise in Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9 with it gambling problem, call 1-800- gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia.

So what does the next season look like for you? Not just not of the show, but of your life?

[Idris Elba]

I'm trying to, you know, diversify. I do a lot of different things. I'm trying to diversify my talent. So right now, my day job is being an actor. I do direct, I write, but I want to just spread that out a little bit further. I don't want to have to be in front of the camera all the time. Director, if you didn't notice.

[Angie Martinez]

I see, I see what's happening here.

[Idris Elba]

I feel like that's a part of the next stage is sort of taking that.

[Angie Martinez]

He's so good at it, though.

[Idris Elba]

But I like, I love directing this. Like, you know, you get to sit in the seat that talks to everybody, as opposed to the seat everyone talks to you as the actor.

[Angie Martinez]

So more behind the scenes that way.

[Idris Elba]

More behind the scenes. I'm, I'm doing quite a bit of work with Elba Hope and the charity work, so. Which has been amazing because you get, again, I'm in sectors that have nothing to do with entertainment, but I have real life, you know, implications, real life outcomes. Especially where in Africa, in Sierra Leone, in Ghana, where the things I'm working for, impacting lives. You know, there's a young generation over there who have never been to a cinema. I can build a cinema. I can build things like this.

[Angie Martinez]

Is that what you're doing there?

[Idris Elba]

I'm trying to, yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

Oh, wow. That's beautiful.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

What about love? Valentine's Day is upon us.

Is it Idris?

[Idris Elba]

What?

[Angie Martinez]

Yes.

[Idris Elba]

That's why I wore this red sweater.

[Angie Martinez]

Do you have a Valentine's Day for all the lovely. We have a very high, a lot of women, high women demographic on the IRL podcast.

[Idris Elba]

Hey, ladies, what's happening?

[Angie Martinez]

Would you like to send a message of love to the. What is love?

[Idris Elba]

My wife always says to me, I am not romantic. She's like, she just.

[Angie Martinez]

What?

You are going to break the hearts.

Of everyone right now?

[Idris Elba]

I, I, I try. I definitely try. She'll say, you do try, but it's not natural to me. I'm tough love.

[Angie Martinez]

And how do you receive that? Do you Receive that as an opportunity to try harder when you. When. No.

[Idris Elba]

Yes.

[Angie Martinez]

Because that's how you're supposed to receive it. If your wife says you're not romantic enough, you should receive that as I need to be more romantic.

[Idris Elba]

Yes.

[Angie Martinez]

Okay.

[Idris Elba]

Let me put it this way, right? I mean, I come from, you know, romance. I wasn't raised in a house that looked at romance in that way. What was romantic to my mom and dad is not, you know, Valentino and bows and arrows. It was like my dad coming home with, you know, food to cook for my wife. My mom and my mom would be like, wow, you got the good meat from the market.

[Angie Martinez]

Great.

[Idris Elba]

It's so romantic.

[Angie Martinez]

That was romance. A piece of meat.

[Idris Elba]

Well, you know, you know, putting food on the table and, you know, it's gonna be a good Friday.

[Angie Martinez]

We're gonna eat good.

[Idris Elba]

That's romantic.

[Angie Martinez]

Is that yours? What is your definition of romance?

[Idris Elba]

I like. I like being encouraging to my wife. You know what I'm saying? I love when she has moments of doubts. I like being that arm. That ear to be like, yo, you got this. You know, and just reinforce that she can do what she wants to do. And to me, that, you know, when she does that for me, that's romance. Like, she buys me flowers, but if she just hugs me and like, yo, you're doing your thing.

[Angie Martinez]

Words of affirmation.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah. You know, I mean, just. That's romantic to me.

[Angie Martinez]

That's your. That's.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, that's romantic to me. Like, but the whole, you know, hey.

[Angie Martinez]

You know, flowers and candy guy.

[Idris Elba]

I am. I mean, I have to. Sabrina. Yeah. She lives for it. You know, you.

[Angie Martinez]

The receiving end of romance. You. What you think of it is. Is like, support. Support for the ladies who are going to go home to their husbands. This is your advice to them, how to take care of you.

[Idris Elba]

I. I appreciate when it's kind of like, hey, I know you had this type of week, so I hooked your favorite things, and I know you want to be by yourself, so I hooked up a little studio for you. You know, There you go. That, to me, is so thoughtful. That's romance. Like, I'm like, oh, man, that's amazing. You know what I'm saying?

[Angie Martinez]

I think you're going to do well this. This Valentine's Day season, And I think Hijack2 is going to do amazing on apple.

[Idris Elba]

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

[Angie Martinez]

And I can't wait to see it. Yeah, I can't wait to see all the work you're going to do this year.

[Idris Elba]

I know I wish I had more time.

[Angie Martinez]

We will. We'll.

[Idris Elba]

I could do more.

[Angie Martinez]

Take one more before you go.

[Idris Elba]

Okay. There we go.

[Hans Charles]

Welcome to the A building. I'm Hans Charles.

[Menelik Lumumba]

I'm in Lumumba. It's 1969. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr have both been assassinated, and black America was out of breaking point. Rioting and protest broke out on an.

[Hans Charles]

Unprecedented scale in Atlanta, Georgia. At Martin's alma mater, Morehouse College, the students had their own protest. It featured two prominent figures in black history, Martin Luther King senior and a young student, Samuel L. Jackson.

[Menelik Lumumba]

To be in what we really thought was a revolution. I mean, people were dying.

[Hans Charles]

1968, the murder of Dr. King, which traumatized everyone.

[Idris Elba]

The FBI had a role in the murder murder of a Black Panther leader in Chicago.

[Menelik Lumumba]

This story is about protest. It echoes in today's world far more than it should. And it will blow your mind.

[Hans Charles]

Listen to the A building on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bowen Yang]

Seems like just yesterday that the Two Guys five Rings podcast was in Paris for the Olympics. And now we're heading to Malawi at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. I'm Bowen Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers. And we'll join athletes from 93 countries as Two Guys Five Rings hits the Italian Alps for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Did we mention it's free? Search Two Guys Five Rings and listen.

[Jay Shetty]

Now, this is Rider Strong, and I have a new podcast called the Red Weather.

[Angie Martinez]

It was many and many a year ago in a kingdom by the sea.

[Jay Shetty]

In 1995, my neighbor Anna Trainor disappeared from a commune. It was hard to wrap your head around. It was nature and trees and praying and drugs.

[Idris Elba]

So, no, I am not your guru.

[Jay Shetty]

And back then, I lied to my parents, I lied to police. I lied to everybody.

[Idris Elba]

There were years, Ryder, where I could.

[Angie Martinez]

Not say your name.

[Jay Shetty]

I've decided to go back to my hometown in Northern California, interview my friends, family, talk to police, journalists, whomever I can to try to find out what actually happened.

[Black Effect Podcast Host]

Isn't it a little bit weird that they obsess over hippies in the woods and not the obvious boyfriend?

[Angie Martinez]

They have had this case for 30 years.

[Idris Elba]

I'll teach you sons of come around here with my wife.

[Menelik Lumumba]

Boom, boom.

[Jay Shetty]

This is the red weather. Listen to the red Weather on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Idris Elba]

Segregation in the day, integration at night.

[Angie Martinez]

When segregation was the law, one mysterious.

Black club owner had his own rules.

We didn't worry about what was going on outside. It was like stepping in another world.

Inside Charlie's Place, black and white people danced together.

But not everyone was happy about it.

[Idris Elba]

You saw the kkk.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

They were dressed up in their uniform. The KKK set out to raid Charlie, take him away from here.

[Idris Elba]

Charlie was an example of power. They had to crush him.

[Angie Martinez]

From Atlas Obscura, Rococo Punch and visit Myrtle beach comes Charlie's Place, a story that was nearly lost to time.

Until now.

Listen to Charlie's place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Idris Elba]

This was.

[Angie Martinez]

I'm really gonna use that sound effect, by the way.

[Idris Elba]

No, you are. You get bored by the second time you use it. Okay, what's.

[Angie Martinez]

It's possible, but for twice it's gonna, it's gonna hit. All right, I like this question for you. And then we're gonna, I know we gotta go.

That's one.

You take that one and. And then I'm gonna find the one I love, and then we're gonna let you get out of here.

[Idris Elba]

All right, here we go. Here's the one that I'm gonna do in the intro, which is, what do you think is your superpower? My superpower is that I think if you sit down with me long enough, you'll see a version of yourself within my presence. I think that it's a superpower to sit with someone and even if they don't look like you don't relate, you know, enough culturally, different, different gender, that actually when they talk to you and you connect with them, you're actually like, you know what? I feel like that sometimes I could be there. I could do that. It is the only thing that allows me to be transparent as an actor. When people watch my character, do they like me or not? They'd be like, I kind of believed him in that role. Oh, he was good in that. The reason what they're saying is because they see something within the character, within my vessel that they relate to that is, to me, a superpower. That's something that I definitely feel like, you know, I, I, I can talk to young people in a room, and I pride myself on being able to talk to a bunch of 10 year olds who don't relate to me whatsoever. Let's see, my son, my son's 11. You know, I talk to his friends and we kick it.

[Angie Martinez]

I love that.

[Idris Elba]

And then I'll be able to sit In a room with a head of state who has degrees in social, political, you know, management. I have nothing like that. But I can talk on a level about what they might be going through, how to think through things, and that is, to me, is my. My superpower.

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah, that's pretty good one.

[Idris Elba]

I think you have the same.

[Angie Martinez]

You think so?

[Idris Elba]

Of course. You've been part of the discussions with some of the most famous people in the world and opened up and given the world a window that no one else could get. Only for you, superpower.

[Angie Martinez]

Thanks, man. Last question and then go.

[Idris Elba]

Okay.

[Angie Martinez]

I asked this question to everybody on the walkout, so you got to get it too.

[Idris Elba]

Okay. Before you go, can you kick a 16 freestyle off the dumb.

[Angie Martinez]

Are you going to do that?

[Idris Elba]

Wow. Okay.

[Angie Martinez]

No, it's not the question, guys. But if I wanted you to, you just worked with the great Slick Rick. If I wanted you to kick a freestyle right now and you've made your own music, lots of it, successful, could you kick a 16 right now?

[Idris Elba]

If you had off the dome?

[Angie Martinez]

Yeah.

[Idris Elba]

No.

[Angie Martinez]

Could you kick a pre written 16?

[Idris Elba]

I could kick. I could kick a pre written, but I don't write rhymes. When I rhyme, I have to, weirdly enough.

[Angie Martinez]

Oh, you're Jay Z off the doggy.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah, but I don't write them down.

[Angie Martinez]

You want to make a spit a verse about my.

[Idris Elba]

Nope, I do not. Okay.

[Angie Martinez]

Okay then fine.

Then just read the question.

[Idris Elba]

If God were to text you right now, what would he say?

[Angie Martinez]

What would it say if you got that big text, that big text, Wow.

[Idris Elba]

I think he would say something like. Or she would say something like. It's okay, go ahead, close your eyes and just let it out. Which I would interpret. Interpret as, you know, for example, in press runs, right? You're thinking about your answers. Sort of like you have to be presentable. Going on Kelly Clarkson going to Angie Martinez. I have to give something, but sometimes it's better just to shut your eyes and just speak from your heart. You know what I mean? And I think that's what he would say.

[Angie Martinez]

I love that. I think you did that today.

[Idris Elba]

I think so.

[Angie Martinez]

85%. Yeah, yeah, 80% of it.

[Idris Elba]

Yeah.

[Angie Martinez]

And I'll cut, I'll edit the other 20.

[Idris Elba]

The boring stuff like the sound effects and all of that.

[Angie Martinez]

No, we're keeping that. We love you, Idris. Thank you.

[Idris Elba]

Love you more, man. So good to be here. Thank you so much.

[Angie Martinez]

It'll be a great year for everyone.

[Idris Elba]

For everyone. You're going probably.

[Angie Martinez]

You are going. I'm going pro.

[Idris Elba]

You are going pro and you are going to direct.

[Angie Martinez]

Okay, perfect.

Idris Elba in real life.

[Idris Elba]

Hey, what's up? This is Idris Elba in real life.

[Angie Martinez]

All right, guys. So it is now Angie Martinez in real life. So we do have a segment on the show and it's the voice note. It's presented by Boost Mobile, where you guys get to call in or you send a comment, send a question, and I'm going to try to do more of these so that we can have a little bit more interaction with each other. So again, go to the Angie Martinez IRL page and then you can follow there, subscribe and send questions or comments. And if you like a regular, we'll, we'll put in the stories, like who's coming up, we'll tease what guests are coming up, and if you're a fan of any of them or you have a question for any of them, then you can send us messages that way. So that's how we'll communicate. But we have a voice note right now. This one's for me, right?

Yep. Let her rip.

[Idris Elba]

Hi, Angie.

[Angie Martinez]

I'm an on air personality and I just launched my own podcast, podcast where.

I interview different guests and I'm really trying to stand out from the crowd.

[Idris Elba]

You know, they say everyone has a podcast.

[Angie Martinez]

What's the difference between a good interview.

And a memorable one?

Listen, it depends what your standards are. Like a lot of people, how many.

People watched it is a good interview.

For me, I think, you know, sometimes a good interview is just a good conversation and people like it and they don't feel like they wasted their time watching it. And maybe you learn something about the guests and the conversation stays flowing and interesting. I think that's a good, a good interview, one that stays with you, that's really meaningful, that really matters, is when somebody shares something or you learn something that long after you've watched the interview, that that stays with you. Like I was talking to Gab Union about this. She's a fan of the podcast and she was saying that she watched Lauren London's interview and then had to reach out to her and they had long form conversation after that. Or sometimes I meet people in the street and say, you know, when this person said this, I needed to hear it in that moment. To me, those are the meaningful ones. When people share stories that we actually use or that just stay with you, just stay with you in your life.

There's so many moments, little moments with.

People that I have all the time that stay with me. And I'm so grateful for that. So I'm always chasing that. So to me, I think that's the separation for me, but I guess for everybody else it's different. But ultimately you want to learn something and you want to take away something from every conversation. And so I think as an interviewer, to answer your question, when you have somebody coming in, you're about to interview them, think about that in advance, like, what inspires you about this person, what is interesting or to be learned from their life or their experience. And I think you start your question asking from there. And then also once you're in the interview and you're in the conversation, listen to your guest. Because sometimes they will take you to a place you're not even expecting them to go, and you have to be present to be able to let them go there. So being prepared, having a perspective, an idea of what you think the conversation should be like, and then being free enough to be in the moment and let something happen, I think is kind of the sweet spot. So good luck to you. Thank you for your question. Hey guys, thanks for watching. Make sure you subscribe, like, comment and check out all of the other episodes we have on Andrew Martinez IRL Podcast.

[Menelik Lumumba]

1969 Malcolm and Martin are gone. America is in crisis. And at Morehouse College, the students make their move.

[Hans Charles]

These students, including a young Samuel L. Jackson locked up. The members of the board of trustees, including Martin Luther King Senior. It's the true story of protests and rebellion in black American history that you'll never forget. I'm Hans Charles.

[Menelik Lumumba]

Our menelik Lumumba.

[Hans Charles]

Listen to the A Building on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Bowen Yang]

Seems like just yesterday that the Two Guys five Rings podcast was in Paris for the Olympics. And now we're heading to Milan for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. I'm Bowen Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers. And we'll join athletes from 93 countries as Two Guys Five Rings hits the Italian Alps for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Did we mention it's free? Search Two Guys Five Rings and listen.

[Black Effect Podcast Host]

Now black history lives in our stories, our culture, and the conversations we still having today, this Black History Month. The podcast I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either. Digs into the moments, perspectives and experiences that don't always make the textbook. Let me tell you about Garrett Morgan Bruh had to pretend he didn't even exist just to sell his own invention. Listen to. I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either. From the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or simply wherever you get your podcast.

[Jay Shetty]

Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose Podcast. On a recent episode, I sat down with Nick Jonas, singer, songwriter, actor, and global superstar.

[Idris Elba]

I went blank. I hit a bad note. Then. I couldn't kind of recover, and I.

[Jay Shetty]

Built up this idea that music and being being a musician was my whole identity. I had to sort of relearn who I was.

[Bowen Yang]

If you took this thing away, who am I?

[Jay Shetty]

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Angie Martinez]

This is an iHeart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.