Idris Elba, 49, plays Dr. Nate Daniels, a recent widower who brings his two daughters on a long-planned trip to a game reserve in Beast (in theaters Aug. 19). But the family vacation quickly turns into a gritty fight for survival. Here are some things you may not know about the London-born star of the TV series Luther and the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

His name—of African origin—was shortened from Idrissa Akuna Elba.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Elba worked night shifts at the Ford auto factory in Dagenham, East London, to make ends meet in between acting gigs.