For the umpteenth time, no, Sir Idris Elba won’t be the first Black male actor to play James Bond, but he’s not sure anyone else should be either.
Ever since it was announced that Daniel Craig would be stepping down from the role of 007, Sir Idris was often named as a favourite to replace him.
After all, he had already dazzled audiences with save-the-day roles such as Luther and was known for his charisma and ability to look charming in a tuxedo.
Since then, other stars such as Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James and Jacob Elordi have seen their names in the mix.
However, Sir Idris, 53, says he is firmly out of the running and that the idea of him being cast was ‘never legit. It was always just a rumour.’
He continued to GQ: ‘I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing. James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it. And also, I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that.’
If Sir Idris were to be cast, he would be the first Black male Bond following on from Lashana Lynch, whose character Nomi inherited the 007 designation in No Time To Die when he retired.
Despite Lynch’s milestone moment as the first Black 007, Sir Idris believes the world isn’t ready to accept a man of colour in that role.
‘Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a Black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period,’ he stated.
‘Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke. I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond.’
The possibility of changing the ethnicity or gender of the fictional character has been a point of contention for years. Many feel the agent should remain true to the original, which was created by author Ian Fleming in 1953, with a very clear description of Bond being a Scottish man born to a Swiss mother.
Some are also not too keen to see a female Bond, with Dame Helen Mirren expressing her concerns about changing the character’s gender.
‘I’m such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy. You can’t have a woman. It just doesn’t work. James Bond has to be James Bond; otherwise, it becomes something else,’ she told Saga magazine.
It’s widely speculated that the new Bond actor will be announced later this year, with Amazon MGM Studios finally sharing an update on production in May.
‘The search for the next James Bond is underway,’ the studio wrote in a social media post. ‘While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.’
Sir Idris won’t be the next Bond, but he’s got a busy slate otherwise, with upcoming roles in Children of Blood and Bone, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and the next Luther movie, not to mention getting knighted by King Charles III earlier in June.
The Heroes Issue of British GQ is available via digital download and on newsstands on Tuesday 9th June.
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