Hanne Norgaard is a British-American makeup artist, entrepreneur, author, and mental health advocate. She is best known internationally as the ex-wife of acclaimed actor Idris Elba — but her story goes far beyond that single association. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Hanne has worked with major broadcasters, Hollywood film studios, and global fashion houses. She has built two beauty brands, raised a daughter who became Miss Teen USA 2019, and spoken publicly about her battles with bipolar disorder, chronic anxiety, and depression.
This biography covers everything you need to know about Hanne Norgaard — her age, early life, education, career, family, net worth, height, and the unique personal journey that makes her one of the most inspiring figures in the beauty industry today.
Quick Facts About Hanne Norgaard
| Full Name | Hanne Kim Norgaard (also known as Kim Elba) |
| Date of Birth | April 5, 1977 |
| Age (2026) | 48 years old |
| Birthplace | United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British-American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed – South Korean and African-American (Blasian) |
| Height | 5 feet 2 inches (158 cm) |
| Weight | 61 kg (134 lbs) |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Profession | Makeup Artist, Entrepreneur, Author, Mental Health Advocate |
| Education | SC Institute, Washington DC (2004–2006); International Makeup Artist Academy, Europe |
| Companies | Make Up Your Mind Inc., Kim Elba Cosmetics |
| Net Worth (2026) | $900,000 – $1 Million (estimated) |
| Ex-Husband | Idris Elba (married 1999–2003) |
| Current Husband | Pastor Andrew L. Friar II (married 2013) |
| Children | Isan Elba (daughter, born 2002) |
| Current Residence | Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
Hanne Norgaard Age and Date of Birth
Hanne Norgaard was born on April 5, 1977, in the United Kingdom. As of 2026, she is 48 years old. Her zodiac sign is Aries, a sign associated with passion, independence, and a pioneering spirit — qualities that describe her career path perfectly.
Although she was born in the UK, Hanne spent significant parts of her early childhood in South Korea before eventually moving to the United States as an adult. This cross-cultural upbringing shaped her inclusive worldview and her approach to beauty.
Early Life, Heritage, and Cultural Background
Hanne Norgaard’s background is as layered and fascinating as her career. She is of mixed heritage — her mother, Kyue Nam Kim, is South Korean, and her father is African-American. This Blasian identity gives Hanne a unique perspective that has deeply influenced her work as a beauty professional and brand founder.
Growing up across South Korea, England, and the USA
Hanne’s early years were spent moving between three countries: South Korea, England, and eventually the United States. Growing up in multicultural environments gave her an openness to different beauty standards and cultural aesthetics that most makeup artists never develop.
As a child, Hanne was naturally drawn to art, color, and creative expression. She spent hours drawing and experimenting with makeup — an early sign of the career that lay ahead. Her parents were supportive of her creative instincts, encouraging her to explore her passions.
Hanne Norgaard’s South Korean roots and identity search
Hanne has been open about her journey to understand her South Korean heritage. She has spoken about traveling to South Korea to connect with her maternal roots and learn more about her biological background. This personal quest for identity is something that resonates with many people of mixed heritage, and it has only deepened her commitment to inclusive beauty — beauty that celebrates every skin tone, every background, and every culture.
Hanne Norgaard Education and Professional Training
Hanne Norgaard’s education in makeup artistry was both rigorous and international, reflecting her ambition to be the best in her field.
SC Institute, Washington DC (2004–2006)
One of the most significant chapters of Hanne’s educational journey took place at the SC Institute in Washington DC, where she studied from 2004 to 2006. She immersed herself fully in the craft of makeup artistry and graduated with the highest honors — a distinction that reflected not just talent but extraordinary dedication.
International Makeup Artist Academy, Europe
Hanne also trained at the International Makeup Artist Academy in Europe, where she expanded her skills to include not only facial makeup but also hair styling, nail artistry, and special effects makeup. She graduated from this program with a Diploma with the Highest Honour, adding another prestigious credential to her name.
A philosophy of lifelong learning
What sets Hanne apart from many beauty professionals is that she never stopped learning. She has continuously updated her skills and adapted to changing trends and techniques throughout her career, making her one of the most well-rounded makeup artists in the industry.
Hanne Norgaard Career: From BBC to Beauty Empire
Hanne Norgaard’s professional journey is a remarkable story of talent, resilience, and reinvention. Starting fresh out of school at the BBC, she went on to work for some of the most prestigious names in entertainment and fashion.
Early career at the BBC
Just one week after graduating in 1992, Hanne landed a position as a makeup artist at the BBC. This was a dream start. Working at the BBC meant collaborating with directors, producers, and on-air talent across a variety of high-profile programs. She learned to work under pressure, deliver consistent quality, and adapt to a fast-paced broadcast environment — skills that would serve her for the rest of her career.
Columbia TriStar and Hollywood film work
Building on her success at the BBC, Hanne moved into film when she took on a role as a key makeup artist with Columbia TriStar in London in 1993. This opened the doors of the film world to her, letting her demonstrate her skills on major productions. Her work in cinema required a different level of precision — makeup that had to hold up under studio lighting, on camera, across long shooting days — and she excelled at it.
Fashion industry: Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein
Hanne’s talent caught the attention of the fashion world too. She went on to work with iconic global brands including Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, contributing her artistry to fashion shows, editorial shoots, and advertising campaigns. Working in this sphere meant understanding not just how to apply makeup, but how to create a visual identity that aligned with a brand’s aesthetic language.
New York and continued success
After marrying Idris Elba in 1999, Hanne relocated to New York. Far from slowing her career, she expanded her network in the American entertainment industry, contributing to TV shows, films, fashion shows, and magazine assignments in one of the world’s most competitive beauty markets.
Hanne Norgaard’s Business Ventures: Building Beauty Brands
Hanne Norgaard is not just a makeup artist — she is a serial entrepreneur who has channeled her expertise into building independent beauty businesses.
Make Up Your Mind Inc.
In 2007, Hanne launched Make Up Your Mind Inc., a full-service beauty company offering makeup artistry, hair styling, and personal styling. The business quickly grew beyond individual client appointments. Hanne and her team began providing makeup services for photoshoots, fashion shows, and special events. One distinctive offering was her makeup masterclass parties — intimate sessions where clients could learn professional techniques and elevate their personal style.
Kim Elba Cosmetics: inclusive beauty for every skin tone
Perhaps her most significant entrepreneurial achievement is Kim Elba Cosmetics, a cruelty-free, paraben-free beauty brand. The line was designed with inclusivity at its heart — products that work across a wide range of skin tones, reflecting Hanne’s own mixed heritage and her belief that every woman deserves makeup that truly works for her complexion.
Kim Elba Cosmetics stands as a statement about representation in the beauty industry. At a time when inclusivity in cosmetics was still rare, Hanne was already building a brand around it.
Advocacy work: My Black Is Beautiful
Since 2009, Hanne has been actively involved with the My Black Is Beautiful campaign, both as a makeup artist and an advisor. This initiative challenges conventional beauty standards and celebrates the beauty of Black culture in all its diversity. Hanne’s involvement goes beyond a professional role — it reflects her genuine commitment to redefining who gets to be considered beautiful.
This is one of the areas where Hanne’s biography stands out from every other celebrity makeup artist: she has consistently used her platform and skills to advocate for people who are underrepresented in mainstream beauty.
Hanne Norgaard and Mental Health: A Story of Courage
One of the most important — and most overlooked — parts of Hanne Norgaard’s story is her public advocacy for mental health awareness. While most celebrity biographies brush past this topic, Hanne’s own experience is central to understanding who she is.
Living with bipolar disorder
Hanne has spoken openly about her diagnosis with bipolar disorder. This condition, which involves cycles of emotional highs and lows, has presented real challenges throughout her life and career. Rather than hiding it, Hanne has chosen to speak about it publicly — helping to reduce the stigma that still surrounds mental illness, particularly in professional and creative industries.
Chronic anxiety and depression
In addition to bipolar disorder, Hanne has also discussed living with chronic anxiety and depression. These are conditions that millions of people experience but rarely discuss openly, especially in public life. By sharing her own struggles, Hanne has become a voice of reassurance for others who feel alone in their mental health journey.
Why this matters
Hanne’s mental health advocacy is not a footnote in her story — it is a core part of her identity and her contribution to the world. She has demonstrated that success and mental illness can coexist, that vulnerability is a form of strength, and that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. This aspect of her life has inspired many people who follow her, and it is a legacy that outlasts any makeup campaign or brand partnership.
Hanne Norgaard Family: Marriages, Children, and Personal Life
Marriage to Idris Elba (1999–2003)
Hanne Norgaard and Idris Elba met in the UK and married in 1999, relocating together to the United States to build their life and careers. They were both young — Hanne was 22 and Idris was 27 — and full of ambition. In 2002, they welcomed their daughter, Isan Elba, into the world.
The marriage ended in 2003, four years after the wedding. The couple divorced, a difficult chapter that Hanne has navigated with grace. Despite the end of their marriage, Hanne and Idris have maintained a respectful co-parenting relationship focused on raising their daughter.
Isan Elba: Miss Teen USA 2019
Hanne and Idris’s daughter, Isan Elba, was born in 2002 and has grown into a remarkable young woman in her own right. In 2019, Isan was crowned Miss Teen USA — a landmark achievement that made headlines globally and made Hanne enormously proud. Isan has also used her platform to advocate for mental health awareness, following in her mother’s footsteps.
Hanne’s influence on Isan is clear. From her inclusive approach to beauty to her openness about mental health, the values Hanne has lived by are visible in the young woman her daughter has become.
Current husband: Pastor Andrew L. Friar II
Hanne remarried in 2013. Her current husband is Pastor Andrew L. Friar II. The couple lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where Hanne serves as First Lady of his congregation. This role is central to her current life, alongside her continued work in the beauty industry and her mental health advocacy.
Hanne’s life in Atlanta reflects a person who has found stability and purpose after the turbulence of her earlier years — a woman who has rebuilt thoughtfully and on her own terms.
Hanne Norgaard Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance
Hanne Norgaard stands at 5 feet 2 inches (158 cm) tall and weighs approximately 61 kg (134 lbs). She has distinctive dark brown eyes and black hair, and she is known for her elegant, understated personal style — a reflection of someone who understands beauty from the inside out.
Hanne carries her mixed South Korean and African-American heritage visibly and with pride. Her physical appearance is a living expression of the multicultural identity that has shaped everything she does.
Hanne Norgaard Net Worth in 2026
Estimates of Hanne Norgaard net worth vary across sources — figures range from $250,000 to $3 million depending on the publication. The most credible and up-to-date estimates place her net worth at between $900,000 and $1 million as of 2026.
It is worth noting why different sources arrive at such different numbers. Some older articles were written when Hanne was less active publicly, and others overestimate based on her association with Idris Elba rather than her own independent earnings. The $900K–$1M figure reflects her actual income streams, which include:
• Freelance and contracted makeup artistry work (BBC, Columbia TriStar, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein)
• Revenue from Make Up Your Mind Inc.
• Sales from Kim Elba Cosmetics
• Writing, speaking, and advocacy appearances
Hanne’s net worth is entirely self-made and reflects a career built steadily over more than three decades. She did not inherit wealth, nor did she benefit financially from her divorce from Idris Elba in any widely reported way. Everything she has, she earned.
Hanne Norgaard on Social Media
Hanne Norgaard maintains a presence on Instagram, where she shares updates about her beauty work, personal life in Atlanta, advocacy for mental health, and moments with her family. She is not known for a high-volume social media presence — her posts are thoughtful and intentional, much like the woman herself.
If you are looking to follow her work and advocacy, Instagram is the primary place to find her updates.
Hanne Norgaard’s Legacy and Impact on the Beauty Industry
It would be easy to write about Hanne Norgaard purely in relation to Idris Elba. But that would be a significant disservice to a woman who has built something real and meaningful entirely on her own terms.
Her legacy sits at the intersection of several important conversations: inclusivity in beauty, mental health awareness in professional life, and the power of multicultural identity as a creative force. She was building an inclusive cosmetics brand before inclusivity became a marketing buzzword. She was speaking about bipolar disorder and anxiety before celebrity mental health conversations became mainstream.
Hanne Norgaard is proof that success does not require a single spotlight moment. It can be built quietly, consistently, across decades — through craft, courage, and a genuine desire to lift others up along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hanne Norgaard
How old is Hanne Norgaard in 2026?
Hanne Norgaard is 48 years old in 2026. She was born on April 5, 1977.
What is Hanne Norgaard net worth?
Her estimated net worth is between $900,000 and $1 million, earned through her makeup career, beauty brands, and entrepreneurial work.
Does Hanne Norgaard have children?
Yes. She has one daughter, Isan Elba, born in 2002 with Idris Elba. Isan won Miss Teen USA in 2019.
Who is Hanne Norgaard’s daughter?
Her daughter is Isan Elba, born in 2002. Isan is a model and activist who was crowned Miss Teen USA 2019.
Conclusion
Hanne Norgaard is a makeup artist, entrepreneur, mental health advocate, mother, and author who has spent over three decades contributing meaningfully to the beauty industry and to public conversations about identity and mental health. Born in the UK on April 5, 1977, she is 48 years old in 2026. Her estimated net worth is between $900,000 and $1 million, earned through her own work rather than through her brief marriage to Idris Elba.
She stands 5 feet 2 inches tall and lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Pastor Andrew L. Friar II. Her daughter Isan Elba, born in 2002, is a model and activist crowned Miss Teen USA in 2019. Hanne’s two beauty companies — Make Up Your Mind Inc. and Kim Elba Cosmetics — continue to carry her commitment to inclusive, cruelty-free beauty.