Earlier this year, Elba told Esquire U.K. that he was no longer “describing myself as a Black actor” because “it put me in a box.”

“As humans, we are obsessed with race, and that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth,” he said. “Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be.”

Ooh, that’s a tricky one. I mean, hard disagree on the latter if he means that in general, you can’t exactly choose your oppressors. But if he means “in my position” then I can get where he’s coming from, and he might actually be doing good by actively trying to normalize black actors as just actors.