It's been an exciting month for the Elba family. In early November actor Idris Elba was finally named People's Sexiest Man Alive—now comes news that his 16-year-old daughter, Isan, is the 2019 Golden Globe Ambassador. Yes, sometimes we can have good things.
The Golden Globes Ambassador—who is chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association—was previously known as Miss/Mr. Golden Globe, until the title was changed in 2017 to represent a more inclusive role that is gender neutral. What didn't change, though, was that the role must be filled by the son or daughter of a well-known actor and the recipient be committed to philanthropy.
For the HFPA, Isan Elba fit the bill. As the daughter of Idris and Kim Elba (they married in 1999 but split in 2003), Isan will distribute the trophies during January's Golden Globe Awards ceremony. She'll also raise awareness for a cause of her choosing. [Update: Isan has partnered with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, which Taraji P. Henson founded in honor of her late father who suffered from mental illness. To support Isan's efforts to raise awareness about mental health, HFPA president Meher Tatna announced a $50,000 donation on behalf of Isan to the BLHF.] What else? Here are five things to know about the rising star.
The Golden Globes won't be Isan's first major red-carpet moment.
At five years old, Isan attended her first premiere; it was for Daddy's Little Girls, a romantic dramedy from Tyler Perry starring her dad and Gabrielle Union. Four years later, Isan went to her first major awards show—the Emmys—where I met her while interviewing her father. "Was I wearing that teal dress?" she asked me during our phone interview. "I remember that. I thought I looked so good! We'll have to get another photo and recreate it!"
As for the Golden Globes, this will be her first time attending. Her plus-one? Her father, of course. "I've always been my dad's plus-one, and this year I'm the big guy now! Usually he says, 'Issie, do you want to come?' But this year I'll be like, 'No, Dad, do you want to come with me?'" And even though she's had plenty of red-carpet experience, Isan says, "I'll have all the feels, but hopefully you won't even notice I'm nervous."
She had no idea she was even being considered for the Golden Globes ambassadorship.
"I didn’t even know there was a submission process," she says. "But I’m really glad [my parents] did it, because I feel like this way I’m jumping right into it and just being me. If I had known, I would have looked it up a lot more and it wouldn’t have been as authentic."
Isan is in good company. Previous honorees include Dwayne Johnson's daughter, Simone Garcia; Sylvester Stallone's daughters, Sophia, Sistine, and Scarlet; Jamie Foxx's daughter, Corinne; and Kelsey Grammer's daughter Greer. As for any rules she's giving her father as he escorts her down the red carpet, Isan says she loves seeing celebs just like anyone else, so Dad needs to play it cool. "I'll probably say, 'Don't say any dad jokes, and don't get all mushy gushy everywhere.'"
She wants to use her platform to focus on mental health.
Inspired by the launch of Taraji P. Henson's Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, which focuses on mental health issues in the African American community, Isan wants to follow in the Empire star's footsteps. "I love what she's doing for the African American community," she says. "I hope that I can bring some light [to these issues]."
Going to high school and balancing a stressful workload can take its toll, as Isan knows all too well. "Telling someone that you're feeling down is really hard, and [although] schools are doing their part, it's important to do more." For instance, Isan says, her school has what's called an M3 week—which stands for My Mind Matters—but "it shouldn't just be a week; it should be a whole term where you [know you] have a safe space and someone to talk to."
After graduation, she wants to follow in her father's footsteps.
Initially, Isan says, she was set on becoming an actress—"That's what I've always trained to be"—but her father's recent directorial debut with the film Yardie has given her a new perspective. "I really got to see all of the behind-the-scenes, like what the sound department does, the lighting department, the best boy, etc. I didn't even know what a best boy was before. And then getting to hang out with the producers, that was really cool. So I'm definitely thinking about being a filmmaker." Regardless, Isan says, she's excited that she's not limited to just one aspect of the business. "My dad is an actor, a DJ, a director, all of it. So I'll probably be all over the place too." And don't forget mental health advocate. "Yes, I love that title," she says.
The Golden Globes will be her ultimate birthday party celebration.
The high school junior will turn 17 on January 4, two days before the Globes. "I'll be telling everyone it's my birthday," she jokes. And since Isan doesn't live in Los Angeles (she resides in Atlanta), it'll be an especially meaningful celebration. "I'm pretty far from all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, so [getting to experience this] will be pretty cool." And while Isan has attended her fair share of premieres and awards shows, she says it hasn't gotten to her head. "It's sort of like a dream. You dream this stuff, but sometimes you’re not in that dream all the time. I’m sort of like that. I live a pretty normal teenager life."
The 2019 Golden Globe nominations will be announced December 6. The Golden Globes will air live on NBC on Sunday, January 6 at 8:00 P.M. ET.
