Idris Elba Says Celebrities Were NOT Paid To Say They Have Coronavirus

Source: Mike Marsland / Getty

Idris Elba is not okay with the claims going around accusing him and other celebrities of being paid to say they tested positive for COVID-19.

When he first revealed his positive diagnosis last week is when this whole thing became real for a lot of people who weren’t taking it seriously before. His announcement followed headlines like this one from Waka Flocka, who claimed in an interview what minorities couldn’t catch the coronavirus. Because of the timing, a lot of people online started to spread rumors that celebrities–specifically Elba–were not actually positive, but saying they had COVID-19 so people would take this quarantine seriously.

That rumor was adapted by Cardi B, who seems to think there is something fishy about how the American government is handling this outbreak versus countries like China. She also mentioned celebrities being paid to say they tested positive, volunteering to do the same for a check.

Now, only a couple days after breaking the news that his wife, Sabrina, also tested positive, Idris Elba is responding to anyone who thinks celebrities like him are lying about the coronavirus. He took to Instagram live to talk about the issue.

“I think that the negativity around test shaming is counter productive,” he said after asserting that everybody should be able to get tested, not just celebrities. “I don’t see what people get out of that. Also, like, the idea that someone like myself is gonna be paid to say I’ve got coronavirus, thats, like, absolute bulls**t,” he continued. “Such stupidness, and people wanna spread that, as if it’s like, news. It’s stupid. It’s the quickest way to get people sick.”

Check out Idris Elba’s comments in full down below: