The British actor Idris Elba has been hospitalised after suffering an asthma attack as he prepared to fly to South Africa for the premiere of his new film.
The 41-year-old, who plays Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, was taken off an aircraft before leaving the UK.
He missed a news conference in Johannesburg to promote the film, the Mail and Guardian reported, but he is expected to recover in time for the premiere on Sunday.
The film, due for release early in 2014, sees Elba star alongside Naomie Harris - who plays Mr Mandela's wife Winnie.
It follows the anti-apartheid icon's life from childhood, through to his protests and imprisonment on Robben Island and his eventual election as South Africa's head of state.
Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Elba spoke of his spending several months in South Africa to prepare for the role.
He said: "I moved to South Africa for about three months prior to shooting, just so that I could understand what South Africa was like ... and to understand the tribes, especially Mr Mandela's.
"The challenges were massive but we embraced them. He had a very difficult life, so we weren't expecting to make an easy film."
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