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- Idris Elba Says He 'Didn't Watch' His Breakout Project "The Wire": 'I Feel Bad'</p>
<p>Angel SaundersJuly 2, 2025 at 4:42 AM</p>
<p>TheStewartofNY/WireImage; David Lee/Hbo/Blown Deadline/Kobal/Shutterstock</p>
<p>Idris Elba</p>
<p>Idris Elba doesn't watch old episodes of his breakout role on American television</p>
<p>The English actor played Russell "Stringer" Bell on three seasons of HBO's The Wire before his character was killed off in the early 2000s</p>
<p>"It's a series that changed my life," Amy Poehler told Elba during an episode of her Good Hang podcast</p>
<p>Idris Elba may have made a mark with his role on The Wire, but that doesn't mean he watched the show.</p>
<p>The 52-year-old English actor joined Amy Poehler for the Tuesday, July 1, episode of her Good Hang podcast, and the Saturday Night Live alum, 53, couldn't help but rave over his performance as Stringer Bell on the early 2000s HBO drama.</p>
<p>"I wanna stay in the present, and I wanna talk about the future. But if you will indulge me, a little bit of past, because — and I promise I'll make it fast," Poehler told her guest. "But I'm such a huge fan of The Wire."</p>
<p>She added that she's aware that it's been "20 plus years" since the show aired, but his being on her show was too good a moment to pass up the opportunity to discuss it.</p>
<p>Good Hang with Amy Poehler/YouTube</p>
<p>Idris Elba on 'Good Hang' with Amy Poehler</p>
<p>"You've talked about it over and over again, and I won't make you talk about it too much. But it's a series that changed my life. I watched it three times. I could talk to you about it forever," she said, before making a joke about them being dressed alike.</p>
<p>Additionally, Poehler said she asked because she was previously on a show where "almost twenty years later" people still come up to her and engage in conversation about it.</p>
<p>"The truth is that I actually don't speak about The Wire as much as people might think, even though I am definitely, at least once a day, someone says, 'Bro, Stringer Bell! The Wire!' Whatever it is," he said.</p>
<p>Elba landed his breakout American role playing the business-savvy criminal Russell "Stringer" Bell on seasons 1 through 3 during the show's five-season run from 2002 to 2008.</p>
<p>His character was ultimately killed when he was shot to death by Omar (Michael K. Williams) and Mouzone (Michael Potts).</p>
<p>The Heads of State actor told Poehler that it "surprises" him due to "how much impact that show had in a good way."</p>
<p>Moviestore/Shutterstock</p>
<p>Idris Elba as Stringer Bell on HBO's 'The Wire'</p>
<p>After reiterating that it surprises him "continuously that multi-generationally," The Wire is still being discussed amongst "people that weren't even born then."</p>
<p>"If I'm really honest, like, I didn't watch The Wire," Elba said. Poehler admitted it wasn't her first time hearing this.</p>
<p>"And I feel bad. It's not that I'm not a fan of it. I was there. I made a show that was, you know, was so intense and so real, so important," he said. "And even though we didn't realize — I didn't realize the importance of the show while making it. I didn't participate in its celebration as a viewer, as a fan."</p>
<p>Unique Nicole/WireImage</p>
<p>Idris Elba, 2024 NAACP Awards</p>
<p>A hopeful Poehler asked if Elba could start watching the series now. His response: "No, man."</p>
<p>She asked him why, and after they both shared a spoiler alert that his character dies, he shared his reason.</p>
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<p>"When Stringer Bell died, there was a part of me that died with that character," Elba said. "And it's weird for me to go back and watch it. I don't like being overly conscious of what my performance is like or whatever because it makes me conscious about doing it. I like being in it rather than watching it."</p>
<p>Series creator David Simon told The Hollywood Reporter in a 2019 interview that Stringer's death wasn't personal, but was largely "to make a political point," considering how Stringer attempted "to reform the drug war" when "it's un-reformable."</p>
<p>Elba's latest movie, Heads of State, will be available to stream on Prime Video beginning on Wednesday, July 2.</p>
<p>on People</p>
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