Damson Idris Manifested Working With Brad Pitt in ‘F1’

“F1” will be Brad Pitt’s next summer flick to hit the big screen, and he’s got a co-star who says he “manifested” working with the Oscar winner. Damson Idris is a 33-year-old British-Nigerian actor from South East London, with nearly 20 acting credits to his name. He’s quickly becoming one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. 

Damson Idris Has a ‘Rags to Riches’ Life Story

Born Adamson Alade-Bo Idris, the British actor says he comes from humble beginnings. He told The London Standard that he grew up “dirt poor” in a home with stained carpets, roaches, and used mattresses that others had thrown out. As the youngest of six, Idris says that his mother worked hard to provide while instilling faith and a strong work ethic in all of her kids.

All of his siblings work in law, business, or IT. But Idris chose a creative career path instead of a corporate one. He started off doing stage work, which led to roles on UK television. He learned his craft and made connections with casting agents, and it wasn’t long before he had big dreams of making it in Hollywood.

Idris told The Today Show that when he was starring in “The Lion King” on stage in London when Pitt came to see the show. That’s when he said to himself “one day I’m going to work with him.”

For John Singleton’s ‘Snowfall’ He Perfected His American Accent

Idris got his big break in 2016 when he landed the lead role in the FX crime drama “Snowfall,” from John Singleton. He auditioned via video after spending months perfecting an American accent, and booked the part of 19-year-old drug dealer Franklin Saint, a character who lived in 1980s Los Angeles amid the early crack epidemic. “Snowfall” ran for six seasons and came with big paychecks. 

While starring in “Snowfall,” Idris also appeared on the big screen in the London thriller “City of Tiny Lights.” He was also in “Megan Leavey,” starring Kate Mara, and the autobiographical film “Farming” directed by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. 

His performance as Enitan earned him a best performance award at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Idris also co-starred alongside Anthony Mackie in the Netflix sci-fi action film “Outside the Wire.” The actor also scored a brand deal with Tommy Hilfiger, becoming a menswear ambassador in 2023. 

Damson Idris Says He Was ‘Shaking’ His First Day on the ‘F1’ Set

Idris stars in “F1” as Joshua Pearce, a hotshot rookie who drives for Apex Grand Prix Team (APXGP). He becomes the main rival of Pitt’s Sonny Hayes, and both actors drove the Formula 1 cars in scenes filmed on location in places like Abu Dhabi and the U.K. He described his first day on set as life-changing.

“I look to my left, it’s Brad Pitt. Look to my right, it’s Javier Bardem. I look at my hands, they’re shaking,” he told Vanity Fair. “I was in the car for 45 minutes today. It sounds normal, but it’s not. It’s very hot out here. You’re strapped in, sweating through the helmet. You lose so much weight.”

Idris has a love of cars off-screen, too. He owns a Mercedes-AMG GT and a Porsche 911 GTS. He’s also been known to cruise Los Angeles in a Porsche Taycan, a Bentley Flying Spur, and a Mercedes-AMG G 63. 

“F1” hits theaters in the United States on June 27th.