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HBO’s The Wire told some of the most shocking and realistic drug mafia stories. The show ran for five years and was created by writer and former police reporter David Simon and former homicide detective and public school teacher Ed Burns. It stars Idris Elba in the lead as Stringer Bell, who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s in Baltimore, US.
Dominic West played detective James Mc Nutty, who, with his team, tried to eradicate the drug mafia from the city. The show aired from 2002 to 2008, delivering some of the most memorable early-year performances by the cast, long before they found global success with shows like.
Idris Elba’s character was based on not one but two real-life people. According to The Guardian, Stringer Bell, the name of his calculating, manipulating, cunning, and street-smart character, was created by joining the names of two real-life drug lords from Baltimore, Stringer Reed and Roland Bell. However, his actions reflect those of another drug kingpin, Kenneth A. Jackson.
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Stringer Bell is a smart fellow who takes a proper college education to understand economics, business management, and capitalist trends to ensure his organizations experience fewer arrests and exposure to the law. His branching out to politics from his drug trading business is also a testament to Jackson’s modus operandi in the latter’s days of power.
Bell’s disconnect from real life, Stringer & Bell, also continues in the way he was killed in the show. He died tragically after being shot by Omar Little and Brother Mouzone following Stringer Bell’s tip to the police about Avon’s activities in the show. His death was dramatized in the show for maximum effect, and it continues to be one of the most well-televised death scenes from its time.
Idris Elba’s talent was relatively undetected at the time when The Wire was on air. The show’s five-season run helped Elba cement his image and discover his talent as an actor. In an interview with Esquire, he revealed that he used to relate to his character Stringer Bell as he felt that Bell was an underdog just like he (Elba) was back then.
He also felt a touch of fear that he might face the same fate as Bell. Bell was smart and getting his work done, but he was eventually killed. He also said in his interview that he was not happy that his character was killed off right when the audience was discovering it.
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