No more nepotism? Idris Elba didn't cast own daughter due to lack of chemistry

Actor Idris Elba recently revealed on an episode of the popular radio show The Breakfast Club that he had to deny a role to his daughter for the survival thriller film Beast because the chemistry wasn’t right. Interestingly enough, Isan, his 20-year-old daughter, was auditioning for the role of one of his character’s two daughters in the film.

“She [Isan] wants to be an actress and she auditioned and it came down to chemistry in the end. She’s great, but the relationship in the film and the relationship between my daughter was... the chemistry wasn’t right for the film, weirdly enough,” the actor, who is starring in the film, explained.

Producer Will Packer, who is a long-time friend of the family, was the one to break the news to Isan. “[Elba] auditioned with her, and he was very tough on her. He said [to Isan], ‘Listen, at the end of the day, we’re going to make the best decision for the movie. I trust you, Will, trust the director,’ and she was very good, very close,” Packer added.

According to a report by The Independent, Isan didn’t speak to her father for almost three weeks after the decision about the role was communicated. However, the father and daughter were able to make amends before the movie was set to premiere. Elba later praised his daughter, saying, “She was very gracious about it and we got through that and I’m really proud of her to go through that, not get the role, but still come to the premiere.”

While the situation had its happy ending, it did not prevent it from falling into the hands of social media users, who made memes and even commented on the prevailing nepotism in Hollywood.

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