Actor Idris Elba held open auditions in London to find people who wanted to work as “paid extras” in his latest movie. However, so many would-be extras answered the casting call, police were summoned to shut down the activity. Idris, 44, advertised the event as an opportunity to work on a film that would be based in Hackney’s Afro-Caribbean community in 1983. According to the London Metropolitan Police, they received a call at approximately 8 pm and agreed with the event’s organizers to close the auditions in view of the crowds. On his Instagram account, Elba noted the “unbelievable” response to the casting call and thanked those attending the event. He announced that, due to time constraints and the number of applicants, he was shutting the auditions down, although he didn’t want to. He told supporters that he was worried that many people would not have a chance to be seen. Elba also gave an alternative solution for those who wanted to work with him on the project: they should send “head shots” of themselves to an email address and promised to look at everyone who submitted a photograph.

Photo Credit: Instagram @jh_sync