Entertainment
Idris Elba defends Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview: ‘You can’t take their voice away’
Idris Elba has shared his thoughts on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s divisive interview with Oprah Winfrey and he’s standing in their corner.
The Luther actor is believed to be good friends with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after attending the Royal wedding with his wife Sabrina Dhowre in 2018.
Meghan and Harry opened a can of worms when they sat down with Oprah earlier this month, detailing their time as working Royals while making claims of racist comments being made towards their son Archie within the family.
Weighing in on the couple’s decision to speak out, Idris told Entertainment Tonight: ‘I will say that everyone has to have their opportunity to speak up about what they feel, you cannot take someone’s voice away, that’s what we have to communicate.’
Several of Meghan’s celebrity pals have weighed in on the controversial interview, with her former Suits co-star DB Woodside urging the Royal family to apologise in the midst of backlash towards the Duchess.
The Lucifer actor said the whole fallout from the Oprah interview is ‘very upsetting’.
‘And just to be direct, it’s bulls**t,’ he added to ET while describing Meghan as ‘strong and resilient’.
Woodside continued: ‘It seems to me there are people who are setting her up to be the fall person. There’s people who are setting her up to blame her for something…
‘All I have to say is that she’s one of the most incredible human beings that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with… I wish her nothing but the best. And I just hope people over in Britain, excuse my French, leave her the f**k alone.’
He then warned: ‘If they think that this kind of stuff is going to knock her off her game for very long, they picked the wrong woman to mess with.
‘She is the wrong woman to mess with. They need to back up, back off, apologise because she’s not the one.’
However, Wendell Pierce – who also starred in Suits – was more critical of the interview and said it shifted focus away from the coronavirus pandemic.
It was quite insensitive and offensive that we are all complicit in this sort of palace… gossip in the midst of so much death. I think it is insignificant,’ he said on LBC.
The actor later clarified his comments and said he wished Meghan ‘all the best’.
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