Who is Damson Idris? Meet the F1 Movie co-star rubbing shoulders with Brad Pitt, is he married and what's his net worth?

Hitting cinemas on Wednesday, June 25, F1: The Movie tells the story of APXGP, a Grand Prix team that enlists the help of ageing race driver Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), who races alongside hotshot teammate Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris).

F1 drivers themselves have already seen the film - excluding Max Verstappen who skipped both screenings, once to stream on Twitch and the other to test drive GT3 cars - and have given their thoughts on the movie.

Unsurprisingly, the film received what The Race described as “universal praise” from drivers, with the caveat that it has been made for the masses, rather than the die-hard fans. Williams driver Carlos Sainz said: “I truly enjoyed it - I truly believe that for a new fan it will attract a lot of new audience and it will do very well for the people who don’t know anything about F1.

“For the hardcore fans and journalists and us, we’ll see things that you think are a bit too American or Hollywood, but honestly, I enjoyed the whole film.”

Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg joked that a 61-year-old Pitt gave him optimism about his own career longevity, and added: “Look, it's a movie, it's Hollywood as well. You need to take a step back and see the broader picture, it's not about the fine details that everything is accurate.”

It will take a lot for F1: The Movie to break into what I would consider to be the “big three” of motorsport movies - Rush, Cars and Talladega Nights - but it has given its actors the chance to shine in a big budget blockbuster.

So who is Damsen Idris, and what films might you have seen him in before?

Early career

Idris was born in Peckham, South East London, to a Nigerian family and is the youngest of six children. A gifted athlete in his youth, Idris once dreamed of becoming the next Cristiano Ronaldo.

He also played rugby, and in 2002, had the rare honour of shaking Queen Elizabeth II’s hand when his rugby team participated in her Golden Jubilee celebrations.

His path, however, would lead him away from the pitch and onto the stage. Idris studied drama at Brunel University London, earning a BA Honours degree in Theatre, Film & Television Studies. In 2024, Brunel recognised his influence and impact by awarding him its alumni award for outstanding contribution to culture and creativity.

After university, Idris trained at the renowned Identity School of Acting in London, joining a cohort that included future stars like John Boyega, Letitia Wright, and Malachi Kirby. He quickly found his footing in the industry with stage performances at the Royal National Theatre before moving into television, landing roles on TV series such as Miranda (2013), Doctors (2015), and Casualty (2015).

Movies so far

In 2016, Idris got his first break on the big screen, appearing as Hakim in City of Tiny Lights (2016). He then took on a couple of action roles, first in Megan Leavy (2017) and then The Commuter (2018), where he played Agent Denys.

He then appeared in Outside the Wire (2021) starring alongside Avengers legend Anthony Mackie. More recently, he has returned to the world of TV, with roles in Black Mirror, Swarm and Snowfall.

Is Damson Idris married?

He’s a good-looking bloke, but 33-year-old Idris is also available on the dating market. He was previously in a relationship with American model Lori Harvey, but the pair broke up in 2023.

What is his net worth?

Taking the approach of quality over quantity with his film work, Idris has his fingers in plenty of other pies. Most notably is his modelling career, having done shoots for Tommy Hilfiger, Prada, Hennessy and, of course, Formula 1.

With all this, a $4m mansion and plenty of luxury cars to boot - including a Maserati Levante Trofeo and a Bentley Flying Spur - Tuko has estimated Idris’ net worth to be somewhere in the region of $10-13m, which equates to just shy of £10m.