Who is Hanne Norgaard?
Hanne Norgaard was born on 5 April 1977, in London, England, and is a professional make-up artist, but best known for being the ex-wife of actor Idris Elba. Her husband is known for various prominent film projects such as “Star Trek Beyond”, “Zootopia”, “The Jungle Book” American Gangster” and “Nelson Mandela”. He was also a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as the character, Heimdall.
The Net Worth of Hanne Norgaard
As of early-2020, Hanne Norgaard’s net worth is estimated to be over $250,000, earned largely through success as a make-up artist and in business.
After her divorce from Elba, she restarted her career by embarking on solo business projects which have been fruitful for her. She probably benefitted from the success of her former husband as well, with Idris’ net worth reputedly over $25 million.
Early Life, Education, and Career Beginnings
Growing up, Hanne lived in various parts of the world, spending some time in South Korea due to her mother’s lineage, as well as England. Her father is of African-American and Danish descent. The family then settled in Atlanta, Georgia USA, where she grew to have an interest in modeling.
Her dream was quickly realized at a young age, when she started taking professional modeling projects as a teenager. To expand her opportunities, she moved away from home to London to pursue her career. However, her parents wanted her to continue her education as modeling was not a lifetime career. As a result, she enrolled at the International Artist Make Up Academy in London as her parents agreed that she could take up this course to remain within the world of beauty even if her modeling career fizzled out.
Make-Up Career and Business
Following the completion of her studies, she quickly transitioned to a career in make-up as she was offered a regular job with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) just after her graduation.
The company is the oldest national broadcaster of the UK, and is an established presence around the world, with its worldwide coverage through numerous sister companies and subsidiaries. She stayed there for a year, and was then hired by Columbia TriStar in London back when the company was not yet bought by Sony Pictures. During her time there, she worked on several film projects.
She met and eventually married Idris Elba in 1999, following him as his career blossomed in the country. When he moved to the US due to bigger Hollywood opportunities, she followed suit and the couple stayed in New York, doing numerous projects there.
She became involved in working for fashion shows, television programs, magazines, and films, and eventually became the make-up artist to several high profile celebrities such as Robin Williams, Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie. She also worked for big fashion brands such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren – to help market herself, she went under the name Kim Elba to make it easier for people to remember her.
Recent Projects
Eventually, as Idris found more work, Hanne took a step backward from hers, focusing on family life and supporting her husband. Things eventually came to a head with their relationship, and the two separated in 2003, leading to divorce.
A few years after the divorce, she recovered and kickstarted her career once more, returning to the make-up industry with the project “Make Up Your Mind”. For the program, she partnered with other hairstylists and make-up artists to provide numerous services to potential clients. The group quickly became known, being hired for parties, especially during holidays.
After a few years, her expertise became widely sought after, and she was hired as an advisor and make-up artist for the event “My Black Is Beautiful”, which aimed to showcase beauty by featuring numerous black women and help change the ‘normal’ perception of what is beautiful.
She also began gaining a more sustainable form of income through a business, launching a cosmetics line called Kim Elba Cosmetics. The main selling point of her products is that no animals were harmed in their creation, and they were also sold free of paraben, a type of preservative. She’s also appeared in several television programs as a guest.
Ex-Husband – Idris Elba
Idris found his start in the acting profession in the UK, as he became a part of numerous hits from BBC including the show “Luther” in which he played the titular character. Eventually, his prowess led him to be cast in projects in the US including the show “The Wire” in which he played the character Stringer Bell.
Following his work there, he then had a string of high profile projects, including collaborations with director Ridley Scott in “American Gangster” and “Prometheus”.
In 2011, he became a part of the MCU as he was cast in “Thor”. He reprised his role in subsequent “Thor” films, also appearing in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Avengers: Infinity War”. Other notable projects he’s had include “Molly’s Game”, “Pacific Rim”, and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” in which he portrayed political leader Nelson Mandela. Aside from acting, he also works as a radio personality, under the name DJ Big Riis or Big Driis the Londoner.
He is one of the world’s highest-grossing actors, with his projects having earned $9.8 billion internationally.
Personal Life
Hanne met Idris while working on a project together in the UK. During their marriage, they had two children, both of whom remain under the custody of Kim – she now resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She has never spoken about the reason for their divorce but the two remain friends even after their breakup, and occasionally meet, mostly for the big events of their children’s lives. In the 2010s, she met and started a relationship with Andrew L. Friar II, a pastor. The two married in 2013 in a marriage that was held on a yacht. She is a Christian and the two run a ministry together.