Idris Elba says his daughter didn't speak to him for weeks after failing to land role in his film

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By Phoebe Egoroff

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Idris Elba's daughter, Isan, didn't speak to her father for weeks after not landing a role in his latest movie, Beast, the actor revealed on radio last week.

Speaking to iHeart Radio's morning show, The Breakfast Club, the 49-year-old couldn't help but hilariously expose his only daughter's misfortune.

Elba revealed that his 20-year-old daughter, Isan, had initially auditioned for the role of his on-screen daughter, but that she ended up not being the right fit for the role.

"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 told the radio hosts.

Joining him on the show was Will Packer, who produced the film. "I called and talked to her, 'cause I've known her for a very long time," he chimed in. "I'm like 'Uncle Will.'"

Packer also said that Elba was tough on his daughter during the audition process, apparently telling her: "Listen, at the end of the day we're going to make the best decision for the movie."

After not landing the role, Elba says "my daughter didn't talk to me for about three weeks," before jokingly adding, "but, you know, it's cool, man."

However, it's clear her frustration had subsided by the movie's premiere, after she was pictured with Elba and her stepmom, Sabrina, earlier this month.

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Despite not talking to her father for a few weeks, Isan Elba attended the premiere of his latest film. Credit: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy

"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," the Golden Globe nominee stated.

Elba's new film, Beast, follows the story of a recently widowed father and his two daughters who take a trip to South Africa to take time to heal. However, their stay soon becomes a fight for survival after they become the prey for a bloodthirsty wild lion.

The movie, which is set to be released this week, also highlights the importance of depicting Africa in "a proper light," given the history of propagating negative stereotypes of the continent.

"I like making movies in Africa," Elba explains. "I always like to see Africa set in a proper light and get some story behind it so people understand how beautiful Africa is."

The certified-Platinum DJ added that "this story has a duality; it does that. It talks about the poaching, and how animals are getting destroyed, and how our relationship with the environment is really important."

Elba also pointed out that he wanted to "change the narrative of Black fathers" who, he says, often "get a bad rap" with some of the characters he plays.

Packer agreed, also adding that it was "important" to him that he made a film that depicted a Black family.

"This isn't just playing a father to two daughters, [this is a] Black father with two Black daughters," he told The Breakfast Club hosts.

"Typically you see the Black supporting actor with the white family - I'm always, in my stuff, in my work, trying to push the envelope and put images out there that we don't typically see," he added.

The film, directed by Icelandic director, Baltasar Kormákur, has so far received a critic score of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews praising the film's sharp directorial techniques and strong acting.

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Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Beast is headed to cinemas this Friday (August 19).

Featured image credit: JEP Celebrity Photos / Alamy