Faces of the News: Idris Elba

Coronavirus makes no physical or social distinctions. It will not care whether you are an elite athlete in top physical shape or a European royal with all the world’s best. And the announcement of British actor Idris Elba, who has played the role of Heimdall, the protector of the bridge between the realms of humans and gods, in Marvel’s Avengers franchise, suggests that even the gods in Asgard are not immune.

Elba announced on Twitter on March 16 that he had to isolate himself because he had COVID-19. The 47-year-old Londoner said he had no symptoms and only had himself tested after he was exposed to someone who turned out to have the disease.

In self-confinement with his beauty queen-model wife Sabrina Dhowre, Elba will likely be working on more songs to boost his music career. He has also been involved in several good causes, including a campaign against Ebola and gender, sexual and race discrimination.

The actor, one of Time magazine’s Most Influential People of the World in 2016, had a message to a world alarmed by an invisible enemy: “Stay positive. Don’t freak out.”