Adventures in Commercial Acting: Working with Idris Elba on Set for Booking.com

The Wire.

You’ll see the connection. I hope!!

Extra. Extra. Read all about it!

As well as being an author, I’m also an extra, otherwise known as a supporting artist on movie sets, TV series’, music videos and TV commercials. During my time on various sets over the last three years, I’ve worked with many famous actors from the UK and Hollywood, but this particular shoot of which I write was something else for many reasons and I will never, ever forget it. I hope you enjoy the read!

Talent Talks

Towards the end of November 2021, I received an email, one of many from the casting agent, Talent Talks (if you’re an extra, or looking to be one, I absolutely recommend TT), about an up and coming TV commercial shoot for a worldwide travel company. Of course I replied to say I was interested, after which I carried on with my day of writing, thinking nothing more of it. A few days later, I received confirmation that I had been accepted, and not just for any background role, but to drive a golf cart on set. I just hoped I didn’t have to play because I’m lousy at golf.

The Golf Cart. The Beach. The Wire.

So, it was the 1st of December, at the studios of Talent Talks in London, and after trying a few costumes for the perfect look for the shoot, I was escorted by one of the crew to set. At this moment I felt rather special. The scene was a beach party. There was a man-made sandy beach, tables with parasols, chairs with supporting cast sitting around pretending to be on vacation overseas, palm trees, a wooden hut for a bar, lights, candles, oh and a limbo set-up, all with a huge greenscreen behind. I hope I’ve set the scene for you. I spotted the golf cart and was invited to sit behind the wheel, paying close attention to the instructions on what I would be doing.

I was pretty nervous because driving a golf cart on a man-made beach in a studio wasn’t easy, believe me, and what made it even more nerve racking was that the golf cart was brand new. After a number of at first unsuccessful but then successful attempts, I managed to start, drive and stop thirty feet in front of me just before the wire, which was my cue to brake. At this point, I was being filmed with a guy sitting next me in the passenger seat. I still knew nothing about the shoot, and just assumed he was one of the supporting artists for the day’s filming. Never assume. NEVER! Because as the guy jumped out of the cart to be replaced by another cast member, I had to lift my jaw from the sandy floor. If I had been nervous before about driving the golf cart on a beach and braking at the wire, I was terrified now, because the chap sitting right next to me, was none other than Idris Elba.

Now do you see the connection?

“Did you all hear that? He said I was rubbish!”

Once Idris and I shook hands, or rather bumped elbows with each other, Covid and all that, it was time to put my driving skills to the test, and it felt like a test, especially with a Hollywood superstar sitting by my side. Idris had his lines, I was just told to drive. After a number of takes, I almost managed to get it to perfection, but on one take I didn’t manage to make it to the wire and stalled! Yes, I stalled a golf cart and as I did, I said out loud, “That was rubbish.”

Idris thought I was saying that about him when he’d delivered his lines. So he stood up on the side of the cart and shouted over the roof of the cart to the crew, “Hey, did you hear what he said, he said I was rubbish.” I did explain to him that I was talking about myself, but he wouldn’t hear of it, he thought I was talking about him. We did laugh and it did settle my nervous. Sort of!

Friends?

The next scene was also with Idris, my new best pal, okay maybe not, especially after he thought I said he was rubbish. We were still laughing about that moment when the director asked me to show some interaction with Idris in the next take. So, as I was now pretending to drive the golf cart, just steering the wheel, Idris delivered the lines he was giving and we had to smile at each other, nudged each other and generally acted like we were buddies.

Now we were friends. The scene didn’t take as long as the previous one as I didn’t have to drive Idris to the WIRE. Once that scene was completed I was wrapped for the day, and that was that, my role as a golf cart driver with Idris Elba was over but a lifelong memory had been made.

Dyslexic Author

On leaving the studios to head back home, I called my partner Julie, who is also the editor of my books, and I can assure you, being a dyslexic author, she will have edited this post too. I told her about the shoot with Idris.

She did ask if I’d told him that he’s featured in my crime fiction trilogy. I hadn’t, which is unlike me, because at every opportunity I am marketing my books, but that day on set, I’d been completely starstruck and lost for words.

The Crown

About a month later, I was on set of The Crown, season five. My role this time was playing a plumber, repairing one of the Queen’s toilets, to be seen on TV in November. During the shoot, it was lunchtime at the time, I received an email from Talent Talks with a number of contracts attached which they asked me to sign.

My jaw dropped again, this time hitting the concrete, not a sandy floor as I read. The commercial with Idris Elba, which I’d by now established was for Booking.com, was possibly going to be shown during the World Super Bowl final and thereafter, and if so, I would receive an additional payment, not the basic supporting artist’s fee.

I signed the contracts there and then of course and returned them in time for me to get back on the set of The Crown, pushing a royal toilet on a trolley to the Queen.

Stand in for Adrian Edmondson

Two months later I was staying in a picturesque village named Sandwich, in Kent for my next shoot as an extra. It was for a sci-fi Netflix series, but this time I wasn’t an extra, I was a stand-in for the director and actor. The actor being Adrian Edmondson! This shoot was exciting and again I felt special as I wasn’t just an extra, I was a significant part of the scenes, being directed by the director and crew.

On the second day of the shoot, as I queued for my early morning breakfast, I had a notification on my phone that an amount had been transferred into my account. I went onto my online banking app and BINGO, the amount for the booking.com advert had been paid. I was overwhelmed not just because of the amount I’d received, but also because that payment was confirmation that the commercial would be seen WORLDWIDE.

Oh yes, I must say that as I was Adrian’s stand in, we did interact and just like Idris, he was a pleasure to work with. If I did perform badly during takes, I didn’t chastise myself out loud this time, just in case Adrian thought I was talking about him. I’ve learnt my lesson there, right Idris?

Booking.com

The commercial, apart from achieving thousands of views on YouTube, has been seen in America, Canada and apparently across the world.

How do I know? Because I’ve received so many messages on social media from authors, actors, friends and strangers from places such as Oklahoma, Alabaman, Ottawa, Maine and across the world, all saying that they’ve seen me on their TV!

YouTube

If you haven’t seen the commercial and want to check out my driving, here it is…

Finally

Yes, I’m nearly finished.

I’d like to thank Amanda and Taylor from Stage 32 for inviting me to write this post which I hope you’ve enjoyed reading and which will hopefully give you some inspiration, which we all need in this business. This is one of the reasons why I love Stage 32, because the encouragement they give, is second to none. Also a big thank you to Richard and Karen too.

So thank you STAGE 32.

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