Idris Elba and African media superstar, Mo Abudu are joining forces to launch a film and TV joint venture that will back new projects and up-and-coming talent from Africa and the African diaspora.
The partnership between Elba’s Green Door Pictures and Abudu’s EbonyLife Media, announced Thursday, aims to “empower and uplift talent from Africa and the Diaspora” by backing a development slate of film and TV projects and, by supporting up-and-coming creatives and executives from those communities, to “build capacity and foster authentic representation” in the international industry, to give “stories from Africa and its Diaspora” the same “level of attention and respect as other cultures and communities.”
Elba and Abudu said their production slate would focus on “authentic, Afro-centric stories” that can resonate with audiences around the world. Projects, ranging from feature films to series for television or streaming partners, will be set up as co-productions between Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media.
The joint venture will also provide education to up-and-comers, to help train and empower African talent to enter the entertainment industry, using EbonyLife’s creative academy in Lagos as a model that they plan to roll out across the continent. The group will support graduates of the program, giving them a fastntrack to hands-on production.
“I have always been passionate about using my platform to make a positive impact,” said Elba, whose acting credits include Beasts of No Nation, The Suicide Squad and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. “By partnering with Mo, we aim to offer free, world-class industry education to the next generation of storytellers and bring their authentic voices to the forefront. This partnership is a step toward creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape, one that represents the voices and experiences of Africa and its Diaspora around the world.”
With Green Door, Elba has produced such projects as the 2015 documentary Mandela, My Dad and Me, the 2017 miniseries Guerrilla for Showtime and the 2020 Western feature Concrete Cowboy for Netflix. Green Door has a first-look deal with Apple to produce both series and features for AppleTV+.
