She may be the daughter of one of the biggest movie stars there is, but the connection wasn't enough to get Isan Elba cast in her father Idris Elba's new film, Beast—even though the role was to play his daughter.
And as Elba revealed in a recent interview, it all came down to a lack of chemistry between him and his daughter.
Elba discussed the situation during a recent appearance on morning radio show The Breakfast Club, seen below, during which he also said his daughter was not at all happy about the casting decision at first.
Elba told The Breakfast Club hosts:
“Interestingly enough, my daughter auditioned for this role.
"She wants to be an actress and she auditioned and it came down to chemistry in the end."
"The relationship in the film and the relationship between my daughter was, the chemistry wasn’t right for film, weirdly enough.”
Adding to the awkwardness of the situation was Isan Elba's reaction to the news she hadn't landed the role. Idris Elba told the radio show his daughter gave him the silent treatment for "about three weeks."
Elba was joined on the radio show with the director of Beast Will Packer, who said despite not getting the role, the decision between Isan Elba and the actor who went on to the land the role, Iyana Halley, was a tough one.
“He auditioned with her, he was very tough on her. [Elba] said, ‘Listen, at the end of the day we’re going to make the best decision for the movie. I trust you, Will, trust the director,’ and she was very good, very close.”
On Twitter, people couldn't help but laugh about the idea of Elba's actual daughter not making the cut to play his onscreen daughter.
\u201cTelling ur daughter she isn\u2019t the perfect fit to play ur daughter is insane I\u2019m laughing so bad\u201d— HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty (@HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty) 1661031168
\u201cIdris Elba & his daughter after he told her she won\u2019t be getting any nepotism benefits\ud83d\udc80\nhttps://t.co/5lJZSkV1eR\u201d— Lazy Cinephile (@Lazy Cinephile) 1660980477
\u201cNeed more Idris Elba\u2019s in hollywood who will laugh in the face of nepotism and declare his own daughter unworthy to play his daughter\u201d— sal (@sal) 1661096796
\u201cI\u2019m sorry to Idris Elba\u2019s daughter but that story about them not having the right chemistry for him to cast her in his film is SO FUNNY I\u2019m sorry bby \ud83d\ude2d\u201d— professional baby girl collector \ud83c\udf80 (@professional baby girl collector \ud83c\udf80) 1661045916
\u201cHis daughter staring at Idris Elba across the dinner table\u201d— Allison (@Allison) 1661098004
Others felt Elba should have pulled some strings for his daughter.
\u201cI don't care, if I'm producing, my daughter is getting the role. Nepotism is fine, it is the way the world works.\n\nFamily is an exception to everything - including bias.\u201d— Sir Dickson (@Sir Dickson) 1661056097
\u201cNot enough nepotism in the community, I don't like that\u201d— M\u0101z\u1ecb\u0301 Handsome (@M\u0101z\u1ecb\u0301 Handsome) 1661022864
\u201cLemme get this straight\u2026 Idris Elba didn\u2019t think HIS daughter had \u201cthe right chemistry\u201d with HIM to play HIS daughter in HIS movie?!?!?\u201d— Petty Crocker (@Petty Crocker) 1660912348
But many applauded Elba and Packer for not allowing nepotism to impact the casting decision.
\u201cShe's Idris Elba's daughter. She'll have other opportunities. The dad knows that this is not a make it or breal it scenario.\n\nEnd.\u201d— Ekukuleku Kuleku Leku \ud83c\udf1f (@Ekukuleku Kuleku Leku \ud83c\udf1f) 1661073540
\u201cidris elba's daughter will be fine. the fact that she got to audition is nepotism alone, like come on.\u201d— nykia (@nykia) 1661115268
\u201cI like it when nepotism kids and their parents are honest about their feelings \ud83d\ude0a\n\nIdris Elba's Daughter Isan Didn't Talk To Him For Three Weeks After Not Landing A Role In His New Film 'Beast' https://t.co/lfvRk8dSd1\u201d— Ronke (The Professor) Lawal (@Ronke (The Professor) Lawal) 1660686806
Isan Elba has since gotten past her disappointment and is on speaking terms with her dad again, and even accompanied him to the film's premier earlier this month in New York.
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