Idris Elba Talks DJ-ing For Meghan Markle, Prince Harry: 'This Was A Big, Big Deal'

Idris Elba is opening up about the pressure he felt when he served as a DJ at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials in May 2018.

The 49-year-old actor moonlights as a DJ and has gigged for thousands of fans — including Madonna. As a close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Elba was given the honor of DJing at their wedding reception, which was attended by Queen Elizabeth, Prince William, Kate Middleton and a number of celebrities.

While recalling the experience to the Daily Mail, Elba shared that he felt "a lot of pressure" to deliver a great set to the VIP crowd.

"This wasn't like my cousin's wedding," the Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor explained. "This [reception] wasn't at the community hall... This was a big, big deal."

Elba, whose stage name is Big Driis the Londoner, has a lot of experience as a DJ, having performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2019 and collaborated with artists including Fatboy Slim, Skepta and Paul McCartney. According to Insider, the actor also has his own cocktail bar in London where he spins the decks.

But Elba explained that "[Harry and Meghan are] good friends and I wanted to make sure they had a great time, so there was a lot of pressure."

The "Luther" star revealed that he did receive help from the bride as Markle shared a playlist containing plenty of songs that she and Prince Harry wanted to feature.

"Meghan had sent me a playlist, so I knew what she wanted already," Elba shared.

One of the songs that Markle included on the list was Whitney Houston's 1987 hit "I Want to Dance with Somebody," which the bride and groom chose as their first dance. For the reception, Markle had changed out of her Givenchy wedding dress, which was designed by Clare Waight Keller, and into a sleeveless silk halter gown by Stella McCartney.

Elba delivered as the guests at the Frogmore House reception, including George Clooney and Serena Williams, loved the tracks the actor played, a source told People at the time.

"It was a huge dance party, everyone was letting loose and had a blast," the insider said. "Just a fun night and not stuffy at all."

During the event, Clooney, who has his own tequila brand Casamigos, entertained the other guests with his bartending skills and helped mix some drinks, the source added.

According to the insider, Williams also let loose. While the tennis player didn't have a court to show off her skills, she channeled her competitive side by joining a classic drinking game. "Serena did play beer pong. She's super old-school like that," the source said.