Maxim is of course known for having female celebrities appear not-quite-naked on its covers. In fact, if you ask most people, they might not be able to recall any of the magazine’s other defining traits… which are… er… But for the first time ever, Maxim has turned its sights toward a (unfortunately far more dressed) man — Idris Elba. The actor, who’ll next be seen starring in Beasts of No Nation, the upcoming Netflix film by Cary Fukanaga, appears on the cover of the September Issue, clad in a dashing coat. (Note: not a bikini.) Kate Lanphear, Maxim’s editor-in-chief, told Racked:
This is the very first time, and there was no one else in the world more badass than Idris… For me, he was really the perfect embodiment of what I think the new Maxim man is. He’s multi-dimensional, he’s complex, he’s sophisticated, but he’s down to earth. It was funny when on set, I was like, ‘Is there anything this guy can’t do?’ He’s an award-winning actor, he’s a DJ, his capsule clothing line for Superdry is about to hit stores. The guy broke the [British] land speed record which hasn’t been touched since like 1928. He’s sort of a living, breathing superhero.
Here’s the cover:
Watch behind the scenes footage of the shoot (via Maxim):