With ‘F1,’ rising star Damson Idris enters Hollywood’s fast lane

Damson Idris was trying to tune out the noise, but that's a little difficult at a Formula One race.

The British-Nigerian actor was in the zone, in character, filming the high-octane summer movie “F1” with Brad Pitt at some of the world’s most famous racetracks. While Idris’ profile has been rising in recent years, after six seasons starring in the FX series “Snowfall,” there’s nothing like being next to globally famous Formula One drivers and a Hollywood megastar to put things into perspective. He was pretty sure he was going to coast under the radar.

Then he started hearing not just his own name from fans in the crowd but “Franklin Saint,” too, the name of his drug kingpin character on “Snowfall.”

“It’s funny, because I see myself as a young actor who nobody knows,” Idris, 33, said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Anonymity may already be a thing of the past for Idris, though. In May, he made a splash at the Met Gala, arriving in a full racing suit (branded with “F1’s” fictional team name APXGP) and a Swarovski crystal-studded helmet that he and two ushers removed to reveal a second look underneath. The boldness and theatricality of the stunt made it one of the most talked about moments at an event where everyone is trying to stand out.

And things are poised to rev up even more when “F1” opens globally Friday. Speeding into theaters on a wave of great reviews and the promise of a “Top Gun: Maverick”-style spectacle, filmmaker Joseph Kosinski is pretty sure Idris is going to start hearing people shout “Joshua Pearce” at him too.

That's the name of Idris' character, the hotshot rookie driver of the worst team on the circuit who's desperate to prove himself and hang on to one of the coveted seats.

“I’m very excited for people to see him own this character and go toe to toe with a giant movie star,” Kosinski said. “I think he can do anything. He’s just super talented, and I feel like I’m lucky to see him at the beginning of what’s going to be a pretty stratospheric launch.”

Idris tries to seek out projects that challenge him and characters who are as different as possible — from each other and, especially, from him. Joshua Pearce fit the bill in a moment when he was preparing to say goodbye to Franklin Saint. After he read the “F1” script, the character even infiltrated his dreams.

“I said to myself, ‘Man, no one’s going to be able to play this part like I will.’ I remember writing Joe (Kosinski) a letter and telling him that,” Idris said. “When we finally jumped in the cars for the first time, I was hooked. I was like, ‘Yep this movie’s mine. It’s no one else’s and I can’t wait to give my all to it.’ And that’s exactly what I did.”

“F1” wouldn’t just require playing a part. Both he and Pitt had to learn how to drive the cars at speeds of up to 180 mph. It took months of training behind the wheel the supervision of stunt drivers Luciano Bacheta and Craig Dolby, as well as physical training to adapt to the G-forces they’d feel in the car.

When it came time to film, which they did with special cameras attached to the cars, sometimes they were driving during breaks at real races with hundreds of thousands of spectators around. Every time you see Idris' or Pitt’s face in the car, Kosinski said, they’re really driving that car.

“It’s so insane. It’s actually quicker in real life and it looks really fast on the screen,” Idris said. “In a split second, a decision could be really detrimental. But I couldn’t imagine doing this movie any other way. If it was on green screen, you’d be able to tell.”

There’s a bit of art-meets-life symmetry wrapped up in “F1,” in which an up-and-comer teams up with a veteran. In the film, it’s a reluctant pairing of two alphas. The mentorship is fraught, the lessons are hard-earned and the competition is not exactly friendly. Unlike Joshua, Idris is more than willing to get advice from those around him, whether it’s producers like Jerry Bruckheimer and Jeremy Kleiner, his director Kosinski, or his co-stars, from Pitt to Javier Bardem.

“I speak to them every day and I ask for advice,” he said. “The main focus is on stories, playing characters that I can be proud of and range. That’s everything I’m setting out to do in this career.”

Acting was not always the goal for Idris. Like many kids in South London, he once dreamed of being a soccer player. Sure, the idea of being a renowned athlete held some appeal, but he also loved the sheer discipline it required. Then, at age 18, he realized he’d never be as great as Lionel Messi.

“When I see him one day, hopefully I’m blessed to meet him, I’m going to tell him that he’s the reason why I quit football, because he was so good,” he said. “Wonderfully, acting is a subjective industry, so I can at least cheat my way into working with Brad Pitt.”

Cheating is, of course, a bit of cheeky hyperbole for an actor who studied drama at university and continued training at London's Identity School of Acting afterward. Since he made his stage debut in Ade Solanke’s “Pandora’s Box” over 10 years ago, Idris has been hitting the pavement like the rest of his peers. And he’s just getting started.

Idris recently wrapped filming the Tomi Adeyemi adaptation “Children of Bone and Blood” in Cape Town, South Africa. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, Idris plays Prince Inan in the African fantasy that co-stars Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Idris' idol and real-life mentor Idris Elba.

“It’s not just a namesake,” Idris said. “I feel so blessed to be able to say that I’m like his little brother and I can call him and get advice.”

Next up, Idris will prepare to portray Miles Davis in Bill Pohlad’s “Miles & Juliette,” about the jazz legend’s romance with French singer Juliette Gréco. He's also founded a fine jewelry line, named Didris, inspired by his mother, and is getting into producing as well — his production company has a deal with FX Networks and wants to make opportunities for emerging talents.

And like his character in “F1,” Idris is learning to block out the noise. He knows that a film career is a long journey and there will be ups and downs.

“It’s a huge moment, but I’m fortunate to have so many people in my life that keep me grounded,” Idris said. “I’ve soaked in information from people I admire who say the same thing during these higher moments: Pinch yourself, stay grounded, remember where you came from.

“That’s exactly how I’m walking through this portal and into these next couple of years. I’m excited, I’m humbled, I am blessed and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.”