Idris Elba got his big break playing the cerebral drug dealer Stringer Bell on "The Wire," but apparently he didn't watch the show.


Elba made the surprising revelation in an interview with Playboy.


"By the way, I've never watched 'The Wire.' ... I've seen a full episode at screenings but never at home. I've never watched an entire season. I've not seen any episode of Season 2, most of Season 3 and none of Seasons 4 and 5. I'm super-critical of my own work," he said. "As an actor, if you're being told how wonderful you are, what do you need to strive for? I don't know if I’m good just because some critic says I am in the press."


Elba's not the only actor from the HBO's Golden Age that didn't watch their work on the small screen. Edie Falco has also admitted that she didn't watch much of "The Sopranos."


Head over to Playboy to read Elba's full interview.



Loading Slideshow...



  • Connie Britton, "American Horror Story"


    In between her longtime role as the beloved Tammie Taylor on "Friday Night Lights" and her upcoming part on "Nashville," Connie Britton starred in Season 1 of Ryan Murphy's "American Horror Story." But, Britton admitted to Starcam.com that she hasn't seen it, and not because she doesn't want to watch herself or the show. "I haven't watched it all back because I'm too scared. I'm just too scared ... and I really want to," <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.starcam.com%2Fpost%2Fconnie-britton-american-horror-story-screening.aspx" target="_hplink">Britton told Starcam.com</a>. "I'm going to get somebody and literally make them sit down and watch it with me from start to finish so that I cannot be so scared. I'm such a baby!"




  • Adam Driver, "Girls."


    Adam Driver, the actor most improved character on "Girls," recently told Vulture that they generally filmed what creator and star Lena Dunham had written, but also tried some of his suggestions. But Driver doesn't know how many made it into the controversial HBO series. "I haven't watched the show. I saw the pilot, and I learned my lesson. I can't help but see the mistakes," <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vulture.com%2F2012%2F06%2Fhbo-girls-adam-driver-on-playing-lena-dunhams-boyfriend.html" target="_hplink">Driver told Vulture</a>.




  • Jimmie Walker, "Good Times"


    Jimmie Walker starred as J. J. Evans in the iconic '70s sitcom "Good Times," and is perhaps best remembered for his catchphrase, "Dy-no-mite!" <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2012%2F06%2F26%2Fjimmie-walker-good-times_n_1628236.html" target="_hplink">Walker stopped by "Today"</a> to talk about his new book "Dyn-o-mite, Good Times, Bad Times, Our Times, a Memoir" and revealed that he never watched a single episode of his own hit show, "because I was always busy doing other stuff."




  • Matthew Fox, "Lost"


    "I don't really ever watch myself ... I never watched an episode of 'Lost,'" <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtMg7qcFoUuU" target="_hplink">Matthew Fox admitted during Newsweek's 2010 Emmys roundtable discussion</a>. "Breaking Bad" Bryan Cranston brought the laughs when he replied: "It's a good show. You should see it some time."




  • Jerry Springer, "Jerry Springer"


    As Jerry Springer celebrated the 20th season of his outrageous daytime self-titled program, the star opened up to the Associated Press about not being one of its devoted viewers. "I don't watch the show, but it's not aimed at 66-year-old men," <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2010%2F10%2F26%2Fjerry-springer-i-dont-wat_n_774253.html" target="_hplink">Springer told the AP</a>. "If I were in college, I would watch. I enjoy doing it. It's a lot of fun."




  • Naveen Andrews, "Lost"


    Much like Matthew Fox, Naveen Andrews also didn't tune into the sci-fi ABC drama he starred on for six seasons. "I was very confused, just because I never saw this show," <a href="http://redirect.viglink.com?key=11fe087258b6fc0532a5ccfc924805c0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itv.com%2Fitvplayer%2Fvideo%2F%3FFilter%3D319753" target="_hplink">Andrews told "Daybreak"</a> about how he felt at the end. "I saw the pilot ... but I never saw an episode of 'Lost.'" He went on to explain: "When the end came, I had people like Marilyn Manson, of all people, trying to convince me that they resolved it really well, it all made sense. I mean, he's a real fan ... He has Hurley's numbers tattooed into his arm."