Actor Idris Elba left his second wife 'heartbroken' when their secret marriage ended just four months after they tied the knot in Las Vegas, it has been reported.
The British star, who shot to fame playing a gangster in the U.S. drama The Wire and in BBC crime series Luther, married American lawyer Sonya Hamlin, 41, at the iconic Little White Wedding Chapel on April 9, 2006 after a whirlwind romance.
Previous reports have suggested the marriage was annulled after just 24 hours. However court papers obtained by the Sun on Sunday show that the pair remained married until August 2006.
Whirlwind romance: Actor Idris Elba, pictured yesterday at the Independent Spirit Awards, married American lawyer Sonya Hamlin, 41, pictured right, at the iconic Little White Wedding Chapel on April 9, 2006
And while it was Ms Hamlin who filed for divorce, she is said to have been left distraught by the break up.
A friend told the newspaper: 'One of the reasons it ended was her practice was doing well here [in Nevada] but Idris wanted to be in L.A.
'At some point he had a choice between being a husband or a heartbreaker. He chose his career over her.' Another friend added: 'She cared about him and when they broke up it tore her up.'
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ShareMiss Hamlin's Twitter profile describes her as a 'lawyer, business owner, entrepreneur and inventor'.
Earlier this month father-of-two Elba, 43, separated from his 28-year-old girlfriend Naiyana Garth — the mother of his 22-month-old baby son, Winston.
He has moved out of the family home in South-West London, and into a rented flat nearby.
Rumours: Earlier this month Elba separated from his 28-year-old girlfriend Naiyana Garth, right together in 2014. It came a matter of days after he was seen leaving a nightclub with model Naomi Campbell, pictured left
It came a matter of days after he was seen leaving a nightclub in New York with man-eating model Naomi Campbell, a long-time friend and admirer.
Meanwhile, reports circulating in America claim he was conducting an affair with American rapper K Michelle for several months while still together with Naiyana.
The rapper told a television show the romance took place when little Winston was a newborn, adding: 'When I met him I did find out he had a woman.
Proud father: Elba with daughter Isan, his child with first his first wife, make up artist Kim Norgaard
Screen star: Elba shot to fame in the U.S. drama The Wire and in BBC crime series Luther (pictured)
'But I did not know they still had that situation. So I kind of looked up and saw that I was the side chick.'
Elba's first marriage was to make up artist Henne Norgaard, known as Kim, whom he married at a register office in June 2008, a year after they met.
By the time Kim became pregnant with daughter Isan in 2001, the relationship had buckled under the strain and, according to Idris, she threw him out.
MailOnline has contacted a representative of Mr Elba for comment.
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