Award-winning British actor Idris Elba and media mogul Mo Abudu have joined forces to create a groundbreaking initiative that aims to empower and uplift talent from Africa and the diaspora. The partnership between Elba's Green Door Pictures and Abudu's EbonyLife Media will feature a development slate of TV and film projects, as well as continent-wide training programs.

The initiative takes a two-pronged approach: building TV and film capacity and producing large-scale global productions. The development slate will tell stories set in Africa or the African diaspora and will be aimed at the global market, with a focus on bringing authentic, Afro-centric stories that resonate with audiences around the world.

In addition, the partnership will use EbonyLife's Creative Academy in Lagos, Nigeria, as a model for a set of similar programs that will be replicated across the continent. New education and mentoring initiatives will launch to help foster both the lost generation and a new generation of creative professionals in Africa and the diaspora.

Abudu, who has deals in place with the likes of Netflix, Sony Pictures Television, and Westbrook Studios, has been a champion of African TV and film for years and is currently working on a Starz drama about Queen Nzinga, which counts 50 Cent as an executive producer.

"It's our mission to offer the best in industry education, mentorship, and production opportunities, so that our graduates can become valuable contributors to the global media landscape," said Abudu. "We plan to explore the very best that African and Black stories have to offer global audiences."

Elba echoed Abudu's sentiments, saying he has always been passionate about using his platform to make a positive impact. "By partnering with Mo, we aim to offer free, world-class industry education to the next generation of storytellers and bring their authentic voices to the forefront," he added.

Green Door Pictures, Elba's production company, has an impressive list of credits that includes the Netflix Luther film The Fallen Sun, Sky's In the Long Run, and the BBC's Idris Elba's Fight School. The partnership with EbonyLife Media is a natural extension of Elba's commitment to promoting diversity and providing opportunities for underrepresented voices in the entertainment industry.