Tosin Adejuyigbe
Idris Elba, famous for his role in “Luther”, and media mogul Mo Abudu have joined forces to empower African and diaspora talent through their respective production companies, Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media. The partnership aims to provide opportunities through capacity building and large-scale global productions, including education and mentoring initiatives to foster both a lost and new generation of creatives.
The collaboration between Elba and Abudu aims to promote a more inclusive and diverse media landscape for stories from Africa and its diaspora, calling on industry leaders, the wider public sector, governments, and multilateral agencies to help them grow talent globally and build capacity around the continent of Africa. Their ultimate goal is to empower African talent to bring their authentic voices to the forefront of the global media landscape.
To support and empower African talent, the duo plans to build on industry education. EbonyLife’s Creative Academy in Lagos, Nigeria, will be the primary platform for supporting graduates from the program. Elba and Abudu will also create a new development slate of stories originating out of Africa or set in the diaspora as feature films and TV series for the global market.
The co-productions will target broadcasters and streamers, as well as the theatrical market, focusing on bringing authentic, Afro-centric stories that resonate with audiences around the world. Elba stated that he has always been passionate about using his platform to make a positive impact and partnering with Mo is a step towards creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape that represents the voices and experiences of Africa and its diaspora globally.
Abudu shared her belief that Africa has the talent and stories to captivate the world. The partnership’s mission is to offer the best in industry education, mentorship, and production opportunities, so that graduates can become valuable contributors to the global media landscape. She stated that they plan to hit the ground running and explore the very best that African and Black stories have to offer global audiences.
The duo is calling on industry leaders, the wider public sector, governments, and multilateral agencies to help them grow talent globally and build capacity around the continent of Africa. The partnership aims to hit the ground running and explore the very best that African and Black stories have to offer global audiences. By providing opportunities for capacity building and education, Elba and Abudu’s partnership seeks to create a more inclusive and diverse media landscape that represents the voices and experiences of Africa and its diaspora around the world.
