Turn Up Charlie: Idris Elba to Star in Netflix Comedy Series
Idris Elba is a DJ (he is what he plays), both in real-life and coming soon on Netflix for an upcoming comedy series called Turn Up Charlie.
The man wears multiple occupational hats, both as an extremely-busy actor of film, stage and television, but also as a dabbler in soul/hip-hop music and as a DJ, for which he operates under the name “DJ Big Driis” (yes, with two i’s). Now, it appears that a synthesis of those two occupations is on the horizon with this Netflix TV project. In fact, Elba recently posted some footage of himself DJing, possibly serving as a demonstrable preview.
Turn Up Charlie will manifest on Netflix with an inaugural season consisting of eight half-hour episodes. Elba will star as Charlie, a struggling DJ who is apparently close to procuring the gig that will finally yield him success. However, that prospect could become derailed, since he reluctantly becomes what the “manny” (male nanny) to the 11-year-old problem child daughter of his famous best friend. Thus, the bachelor DJ will find himself spun by the impromptu gig of parenthood.
The series, which will be based in the U.K., is the brainchild of an executive producer triumvirate that includes star Idris Elba, along with Gary Reich known from U.K. shows such as Vicious and How Not to Live Your Life, rounded out by Tristram Shapeero, a director of the Netflix hit series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, who’s also directed episodes of comedies Brooklyn Nine-Nine, GLOW, Blunt Talk, Community, Parks and Recreation, New Girl and Workaholics.
Shapeero will also serve as a director here alongside Matt Lipsey. They will work off scripts by Laura Neal, Femi Oyeniran, Victoria Asare-Archer.
Martin Joyce and Ana Garanito will serve as co-executive producers, joined by Hill Isles as producer and Georgia Lester as supervising producer/writer.
No other cast members besides Idris Elba have been announced. The London-born actor previously worked with Netflix, having starred in its (controversially-distributed) 2015 exclusive film, Beasts of No Nation. He will next be seen reprising his Marvel Cinematic Universe role as Heimdall in Avenger: Infinity War, which hits theaters on April 27. His return for the fifth season of BBC crime drama Luther is also set to debut sometime this year.
Turn Up Charlie Release Date
Turn Up Charlie has yet to settle on a release date. However, the series will start production in the U.K. in May.
