Idris Elba fears burning out

Idris Elba is worried about burning out.

The 43-year-old actor is also a successful DJ and recently signed up to direct his first feature film but Idris worries that the general public will soon get sick of him.

Speaking to director Jon Favreau for Interview magazine, he said: "It’s unhealthy to have that much going on. I don’t want to sound ungrateful or anything, but I sleep less, I’m constantly thinking, I’m constantly multitasking, and I really don’t know what the effects are going to be when I’m older. I don’t ever stop. Not because I’m greedy or anything, but I’m always creating, debating with the part of my brain that is dormant. Wondering how I can move in and create a bit more space and take a bit more time. But it’s almost like the more I achieve, the more capacity I have to achieve.

"I do worry sometimes about whether I’m going to burn out. Not burn myself out, but burn my art out, with audiences going, ‘Ah, yeah, I’ve seen enough now, thanks very much’."

Idris – who will make his directorial debut with an adaptation of Victor Headley’s novel ‘Yardie’ – also revealed he recently turned to Ben Affleck for advice on making the transition from acting to directing.

He said: "I was at a party not too long ago, and I ran into Ben Affleck. I’d had a bit to drink, and I was super excited to see him. And the reason why I’m excited to see Ben is because Ben is an actor who can direct. And I’ve sort of been in development to direct my first feature film. I’ve done a couple of music videos and a couple of shorts, and I’m going into that world of the feature.

"And I say to Ben, [slurring] ‘Oh Ben, hey, man. Bro, can you tell me … I just, like, I think you’re incredible.’ I’m like, ‘I’m so interested in that transition. You’re an actor, and you’re directing, and I want to know what you had to go through and how you’re getting people …’ And at the time, he was like, ‘Idris, just call me.’ I didn’t call him ever."