Have Celebs Been Paid To Say They Have COVID-19? Idris Elba, Cardi B Respond

Like many celebrities, Idris Elba and Cardi B have been spending more time on social media discussing the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Obsessed” actor, who tested positive for the coronavirus, and the “Bodak Yellow” rapper have taken to Instagram live recently to address a conspiracy theory that alleges celebrities are being paid to say they have COVID-19. The two had wildly different reactions to the rumor.

“... this idea that someone like myself is gonna be paid to say I've got coronavirus, that's absolute bullsh*t,” Elba said during his last live stream. “Such stupidness."

Elba questioned conspiracy theorists on what the benefit of that lie would be, as his wife Sabrina Dhowre, who also tested positive for coronavirus, sat by his side.

“People wanna spread that as if it's news. That's stupid," he continued."It's the quickest way to get people sick because there's no benefit to me and Sabrina sitting here saying we've got it or we ain't got it. I don't even understand the logic of that."

As ET reports, Cardi B spoke out about the rumor prior to Elba’s rant. She expressed an understanding of how people could draw such a conclusion.

" [The government] not really saying what it is. Tell me what it is and what it ain’t," Cardi said during her own live stream. "I’m starting to feel like y’all [expletive] is paying [expletive] to say that they got it. If y’all are paying [expletive] to say that they got it, pay me too."

In a video posted Tuesday, she also spoke about the financial privilege celebrities have when it comes to testing.

“A lot of celebrities, you have the luxury to pay $34,000, or whatever it costs to get tested and treated,” she ranted. “A lot of these people don’t [expletive]have that money. Some people don’t even have enough to [expletive] afford healthcare. And I feel like all [expletive] this [expletive], for coronavirus treatments, for testing, I feel like the government should take that [expletive], charge that [expletive]to the game, and not charge people for it."

However, “The Dark Tower” actor deems the whole conversation social class conversation to be negative.

"I think the debate about rich and poor and who's getting it and who's not, I think, is not a healthy debate," Elba told his followers. "It's like, I got a test but I also got COVID. Does that make me preferential? I don't understand that...It shouldn't be about whether rich or poor gets it. I think that the negativity around test-shaming is counterproductive.”

Some celebrities who have tested positive for coronavirus include Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kevin Durant and Olga Kurylenko.