Source: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty
British actor Damson Idris recently sat with The Breakfast Club to discuss a variety of topics, including the return of the acclaimed FX series Snowfall, playing Beethoven’s “Für Elise” with rumored love interest Saweetie, and his wish to portray Black legends such as Eddie Murphy and Sidney Poitier on the big screen. However, there’s one interesting and more contemporary individual whom Idris will become for an upcoming biopic.
“I am about to play Rich Paul,” he said. A longtime friend and business partner to LeBron James, Paul is also well known for his many profitable ventures with the 4x NBA champ as well as the controversial rule named after him. “It is time we start cherishing black moguls, and Rich is someone people need to know. This guy has completely changed the game, and I am happy and fortunate to call him a big brother… I can’t wait to honor his story.”
But lately, the Klutch Sports Group CEO has been in the headlines for more non-sports and non-business related activities. Paul, 40, has spent the past few months cozied up Adele, and the songstress was spotted wearing a large diamond ring at last month’s Brit Awards. Neither party confirmed if he was the one who bought it for her or if it’s symbolic of wedding bells in their future.
Idris spoke on other topics, like his audition for Snowfall and his respect for John Singleton, what the future might hold for his character Franklin Saint, and life after the show. Near the end of the interview, the convo turned towards one of Idris’ idols, Denzel Washington. Idris really started hearing comparisons between himself and the Macbeth star after Franklin Saint’s “Brick by Brick” speech, delivered in Season 3 episode, “Blackout.”
So a journalist approached Washington at a red carpet event last December for A Journal for Jordan, and she asked Washington what he thought about the up-and-coming actor. Washington was completely unfamiliar with Idris, though, and even called him Dancin’.
“I was at my house, by myself, and my phone’s blowing up,” Idris recounted to The Breakfast Club. “And it’s a bunch of articles and stuff like that, people are calling me. And it’s like, ‘Denzel’s talking about you!’ I’m like, ‘Oh my God, this is crazy!'”
“So then, ummm, yeah,” he continued, “[Denzel] didn’t know who I was – and he called me Dancin’ Address!” It’s all love from the Snowfall actor, though. “Above all things and all of that noise, Denzel Washington is my idol,” Idris concluded. “He’s like a god to me, and I’ll never have anything bad to say about him.”
Check out the video below fro more from the interview between “Dancin’ Address” and The Breakfast Club.
