Idris Elba explains what Apple TV+ Hijack filming was like

Idris Elba has said filming the new Apple TV+ series Hijack was like ‘flying to Mars’.

The Luther actor, 50, had to act on an aeroplane for around six months for the seven-episode series.

The show follows Elba’s character, Sam Nelson, who is on a plane from Dubai to London that has been hijacked.

The aircraft was a millimetre by millimetre replica of an airliner, which meant that the cast felt like they were “boarding a long haul flight every single day for 120 days,” Director Jim Field Smith shared.

The Luther actor has opened up about filming Apple TV ‘s Hijack. ( Ian West/PA) (Image: Ian West/PA)

Filming Apple TV show Hijack was like ‘being in a documentary’, Idris Elba says

Idris Elba has also described what it was like to film in such a compact space, in the middle of summer, and said: “It all sort of led into the claustrophobia of it.

“The crew, the actors, everyone was sort of tight, and it was almost like watching a documentary being made, or being in the documentary.”

He added: “As an actor, it felt like I was flying to Mars – ‘Am I still on this flight? It’s like six months later. I’m still on this flight’ – or like three seasons of a show.”

Who does Idris Elba play in Hijack?

Elba plays corporate negotiator Sam Nelson in the new Apple TV + series.

The story follows Nelson trying to use his professional skills to save the passengers on the plane.

The role involved a lot of crawling and sneaking around, and this was difficult to pull off given that he’s over 6ft tall, according to the actor.

Elba said: “Sam does a lot of sneaking around the plane. You know, me sneaking on a plane is like: ‘Bro, what are you doing? We can see you.

“It meant that I either had to get lower, or we had to figure out another way and that added to the sort of drama and the reality of this thing.

“The fight sequences were certainly hard to shoot. They were choreographed within the space.

“If we hurt ourselves, we just took a breather, and carried on.”

Watch the Apple TV+ trailer for Hijack

Filming for the series also took place outside the aircraft, where Max Beesley and Archie Panjabi’s characters, DI Daniel O’Farrel and Zahra Gahfoor, were working out the intricacies of what was taking place on flight KA29.

Panjabi said that they were also restricted in terms of space and said: “We were packed like sardines, too. But we did have a good laugh on the show. It was intense.”

When does Idris Elba’s Hijack come out on Apple TV+?

The first two episodes of Hijack launch on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, June 28.

One new episode will follow every Wednesday until August 2.

Hijack is available on Apple TV+ from Wednesday, June 28.