Damson Idris did not become a breakout star overnight. He started with smaller parts and worked his way into serious roles that demand real presence. Most people know him from Snowfall, where he played Franklin Saint across six intense seasons. That performance alone could have defined his career, but he kept pushing into different genres and styles.
He brings a different kind of energy to each role without trying too hard. If you only saw one side of him, then these six picks will give you a better picture. They cover where he started, what he risked, and what kind of actor he is becoming right now.
You must watch these 6 Damson Idris movies if you loved the actor in F1
1) Farming (2018)

Damson Idris plays Enitan, who grows up in a white British household after being fostered out of Nigeria. He ends up turning on his own culture and identity and joins a violent gang of skinheads. The role is based on the life of the film’s director, and the story never feels exaggerated because Idris treats every breakdown and choice like it came from somewhere real.
There is a scene where he powders his face with white makeup and stares into a mirror, and it is one of the hardest moments to watch. It does not ask for sympathy, and it does not soften anything. Idris never plays the part for shock. He lets the discomfort stay there. The film got attention at festivals, and Idris won Best Actor at Edinburgh. This is the performance that made people pay attention. He proved he was not afraid to go all in.
2) Outside the Wire (2021)

In Outside the Wire, Damson Idris plays Thomas Harp, who starts off as a drone pilot who gets people killed by trying to do the right thing. That decision gets him sent to the front lines of a future war, where he works under a soldier who is not fully human. He spends most of the movie trying to stay alive and make sense of what counts as the right choice when everything keeps changing.
He never plays it too confidently or too tough. You can see how unsure Harp feels in the middle of all the noise. The movie throws in a lot of action and weapons, but Idris keeps it from becoming empty. His reactions feel like they belong to someone who has not figured it all out. That is why the movie works. Even if the world is artificial, the emotion underneath stays solid.
3) Astral (2018)

In Astral, Damson Idris plays Jordan, who supports a friend obsessed with astral projection. The film is a slow supernatural thriller about pushing past the physical world and getting stuck between realities. Jordan does not fully believe what is happening, but he sticks around anyway.
Idris is not the main focus, but that helps him play the part without needing to act like he is carrying the story. His reactions make the weird stuff feel grounded. He is the person in the room who says what the audience is thinking, and that helps the film stay balanced. The movie does not always land, but Idris never makes it weak. He does exactly what is needed. It is not a big part, but it adds to the early proof that he can show up and make scenes work. That is how actors build careers that last beyond one breakout.
4) The Commuter (2018)

In The Commuter, Damson Idris plays Agent Denys, who gets involved in an investigation that takes place on a moving train. The movie centers around Liam Neeson, but Idris brings in the outside perspective that gives the story some structure. He is not in many scenes, but when he shows up, he keeps things straight. There is no showboating and no forced drama. He just brings a voice of reason that cuts through the chaos.
His character is calm and direct, which lets you take a break from the tension inside the train. It is not a big role, but it does not need to be. Idris makes the most of the minutes he gets. You can tell he knows what the scene requires, and he gives it exactly that. He made a small appearance in a movie full of louder and flashier performances.
5) Megan Leavey (2017)

Damson Idris plays Lt. Michael Forman in Megan Leavey, a film based on a real-life Marine and her bomb-sniffing dog. His role stays in the background, and that fits the story. The focus is on Leavey and what she goes through on and off the field.
Idris shows up in brief scenes during training and combat. He plays a professional who takes his job seriously and does not need to be the center of attention. He gives the unit a steady presence, which makes the team feel believable. These kinds of roles do not draw headlines, but they matter. You watch and believe that this could have been a real Marine standing next to her. That is the goal. This was one of his earlier films, and even with limited screen time, he showed he could blend into real-world settings and support the bigger picture without missing a beat.
6) City of Tiny Lights (2016)

City of Tiny Lights is one of the first films in which Damson Idris appears. He plays Hakim, who comes across the lead character during a case involving missing persons and buried secrets. The movie takes place in London and is full of small-time crooks and street-level complications.
Hakim is not central, but he fits right into that world. He does not play it loud or lean on any big dramatic moment. He makes you believe this is just someone trying to survive in the same broken city as everyone else. That kind of realism is hard to fake. Even in a limited role, Idris avoids overacting. This appearance helped him build the kind of credibility that casting directors notice. He did not need a monologue or a fight scene to prove something. He just had to show up and feel like someone who belonged in that world.
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