DJ Idris Elba Plays to His Strengths in Turn Up Charlie Trailer

Netflix has released the trailer for Idris Elba’s forthcoming comedy Turn Up Charlie. The eight-episode series stars Elba as Charlie, a struggling DJ. Of course, Elba himself performs as DJ Big Driis (he’s even appearing at Coachella 2019), so it’s a bit like if Bruce Willis had made a movie about being an R&B artist.

In Turn Up Charlie, the down-on-his-luck DJ begrudgingly becomes a nanny for his famous best friend’s precocious daughter Gabby (Frankie Hervey). Gabby’s mother (Piper Perabo), herself a successful emcee, may just hold Charlie’s shot at redemption. The trailer even promises a possible romantic subplot for the two (they’re both incredibly attractive, so why not?).

Elba’s charm makes Charlie’s unoriginal man-child persona more palatable than most, at least in the just-over-two-minute clip. It remains to be seen whether Hervey’s Gabby, at one point threateningly brandishing a vibrator, will be one of those annoyingly too-wise kids or a genuine spot of comic relief in the series.

Co-creators Elba and Gary Reich serve as executive producers with Tristram Shapeero, who’s also directing the series with Matt Lipsey. Shapeero’s got an eye for directing off-the-wall TV comedies, with credits like GLOW, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place to his name. Martin Joyce and Ana Garanito are taking up co-executive producing duties. Turn Up Charlie is co-produced by Reich’s Brown Eyed Boy Productions and Elba’s Green Door Pictures.