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Idris Elba covers the August issue of Upscale magazine, where he talks being a sex symbol and his dating life.

We love the photos, but would it kill him to smile a bit?

On being a sex symbol

Black men have never been sexy. We’re ‘sportsmen.’ We’re ‘intimidating.’ We’re not ‘good fathers.’ So we need that. I think we should celebrate that. But am I a sex symbol? I don’t know. Not everybody likes one thing.

On who he’s dating

I’m sure people are curious, but do they really care? No. Jesus Christ, does it make a difference in their lives? No, not at all. …I don’t hide my girlfriend in a box or anything like that. I keep a very real existence in my real life. I go shopping for food myself. I have kids. I love my children and I love my kids. But they are not part of that world….

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