Best Actor, Drama—'Luther' Star Idris Elba

 

As if watching Idris Elba in “The Wire” for years wasn’t enough of a treat, this thespian has proven that as good as he is… he’s really just getting started. Elba soars in BBC America’s “Luther” as a cop willing to go to extraordinary lengths to find justice—even if that means getting in with some pretty bad people along the way. It helps that the series itself is an excellent web of mind games and double-crosses, allowing Elba to flex every muscle in his acting toolbox. But let’s face it: You could cast Elba as a fry cook or mail man, and he’d find a way to make it look interesting. It’s a rare actor who can combine charisma with serious acting chops. The result is pure Elba. And it’s hard to imagine any other actor as Luther at this point. Maybe that’s why a movie’s rumored to be in the works.

 

 

• Eva Green – Camelot, Starz

• Melissa Leo – Treme, HBO