Who is Hanne Norgaard? Ethnicity, age, career, and family explained
Hanne Norgaard is a British makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur best known as the first wife of Hollywood actor Idris Elba. The former couple married in 1999 and share a daughter, Isan Elba, who became a public figure in her own right. After their divorce in 2003, Hanne built a career in the beauty industry, founding a makeup school and her own cosmetics line. She later remarried and continues to work in the beauty world.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba married in 1999 and divorced in 2003.
- Their daughter, Isan Elba, was born in 2002 and was named the 2019 Golden Globe Ambassador.
- Hanne is reportedly of mixed African and Asian heritage, though she has not confirmed this publicly.
- She founded the Make Up Your Mind makeup school in 2007 and later launched Kim Elba Cosmetics.
- Her second husband is reportedly Pastor Andrew L. Friar II, whom she married around 2013.
Hanne Norgaard's profile summary
Full Name | Hanne Norgaard |
Date of Birth | 5 April 1977 (reported; unverified) |
Age (as of 2026) | 49 (if birth date is correct) |
Place of Birth | London, United Kingdom (reported) |
Nationality | British |
Profession | Makeup artist, beauty entrepreneur |
Education | Not publicly disclosed |
Relationship Status | Married (to Pastor Andrew L. Friar II, c. 2013) |
Children | Isan Elba (b. 2002) |
Parents | Not publicly disclosed |
Zodiac Sign | Aries (if 5 April birth date is correct) |
Height | 5 ft 2 in (157 cm, reported) |
Net Worth | Est. 500,000–900,000 (unverified) |
Who is Hanne Norgaard?
Early life and ethnicity
Hanne Norgaard was reportedly born in London around 1977, though details of her early life remain private. Several sources describe her as being of mixed heritage, with an African American father and a South Korean mother, a background sometimes described as "Blasian."
Hanne has never confirmed these details publicly, and no primary source verifies them. Her parents' names have not been publicly disclosed. She grew up in London before later relocating to the United States.
Education and early training
Hanne trained in makeup artistry from an early age. She is reported to have worked as a talent director at a modelling agency in 1991 and as a makeup artist for the BBC in 1992.
From 1997 to 2000, she reportedly served as a creative makeup director at a photography studio. These career details are drawn from online biographies and are not verified by primary sources.
Source: Original
Hanne Norgaard's career as a makeup artist
Hanne built her reputation as a celebrity makeup artist before founding her own businesses. She reportedly worked with notable clients, though these claims come from unverified biographies rather than confirmed interviews.
In 2007, she opened the Make Up Your Mind makeup school, offering professional training in beauty artistry. She later launched Kim Elba Cosmetics, a makeup brand. Both ventures are tied to her professional name, Kim Elba, which she uses on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba: their marriage and divorce
How did Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba meet?
Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba met in London and married in 1999. They welcomed their daughter, Isan Elba, in 2002. The couple divorced in 2003, around the time Idris relocated to the United States to pursue his acting career.
Despite the separation, both parents remained involved in Isan's life. Their co-parenting relationship is reported to have been amicable.
Who is Hanne Norgaard's husband now?
After her divorce from Idris Elba, Hanne remarried. Her current husband is reportedly Pastor Andrew L. Friar II, with reports placing the wedding around 2013. Little detail about their relationship has been made public.
Idris Elba has since had two further relationships. He has a son, Winston (born 2014), with former girlfriend Naiyana Garth. He married model and UN Goodwill Ambassador Sabrina Dhowre Elba on 26 April 2019 in a three-day ceremony in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Isan Elba: Hanne Norgaard's daughter
Source: Getty Images
Isan Elba was born in 2002 to Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba. She became a public figure in her own right when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association named her the Golden Globe Ambassador for the 76th Golden Globe Awards in 2019.
At just 16, Isan chose mental health as the cause she would champion in the role. Her father publicly celebrated her appointment. She is active on social media and uses the handle @isanelba.
Hanne Norgaard's net worth
Hanne Norgaard's net worth is estimated at between $500,000 and $900,000, based on celebrity finance reports. None of these figures are from reliable sources.
Her reported income sources include:
- Fees from her work as a makeup artist
- Revenue from the Make Up Your Mind makeup school
- Sales from Kim Elba Cosmetics
FAQ
- What is Hanne Norgaard's ethnicity? Hanne is reportedly of mixed heritage, with an African American father and a South Korean mother. She has not confirmed her ethnicity publicly, and no primary source verifies this.
- How old is Hanne Norgaard? She is reportedly 49 years old as of 2026, based on an unverified birth date of 5 April 1977.
- Who is Hanne Norgaard's husband? Her current husband is reportedly Pastor Andrew L. Friar II, whom she married around 2013, following her divorce from Idris Elba.
- Who is the mother of Idris Elba's children? Hanne Norgaard is the mother of Isan Elba (born 2002). Idris Elba also has a son, Winston (born 2014), with his former girlfriend Naiyana Garth.
- How many children does Idris Elba have? The British actor has two children: Isan Elba (born 2002, with Hanne Norgaard) and Winston (born 2014, with Naiyana Garth).
- Who is Sabrina Dhowre Elba? Sabrina Dhowre Elba is Idris Elba's current wife. They married on 26 April 2019 in Marrakesh, Morocco. She is a model and UN Goodwill Ambassador.
- What does Hanne Norgaard do for a living? Hanne Norgaard is a makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur. She runs the Make Up Your Mind makeup school and the Kim Elba Cosmetics brand, operating under the professional name Kim Elba.
- Who is Isan Elba? She is the daughter of Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba, born in 2002. She was named the Golden Globe Ambassador for the 76th ceremony in 2018, championing mental health awareness.
Hanne Norgaard built an enduring legacy in the beauty industry entirely on her own terms. She successfully balanced a thriving career with raising a daughter away from the spotlight. Her journey proves that personal independence and professional excellence can coexist quietly, far beyond the shadow of a famous marriage.
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