Idris Elba puts James Bond rumors to rest.
The 53-year-old acclaimed actor, who often plays heroic characters and is currently co-starring with Nicholas Galitzine in Masters of the Universe, was hinted to take over the role of 007 before Daniel Craig left the role in 2021. But in a new cover interview with British GQ, Elba said the rumors were “never legitimate.”
“I always felt like that wasn’t realistic,” he told British GQ. “James Bond was written the way he was written for a reason. But I’ve been complimented on it. And realistically speaking, I think some markets don’t like it. Bond is popular all over the world. And (audiences) don’t (all) like a black man or an African man playing Bond. It’s not their culture’s preference. Period.”
But he said he didn’t necessarily think Bond should change. “Bond is so unrealistic that it’s good to hint at reality, but don’t try to wake him up,” Elba continued. “I think you need to be pure about escapism. Don’t try to answer to public tastes. Just be Bond.”
Rumors are heating up as to who will be the next Bond, as auditions have officially begun. Prolific casting director Nina Gold (Game of Thrones, The Crown) is spearheading Amazon MGM Studios, which took over creative control of the series last year. The next Bond movie will be directed by Dune director Denis Villeneuve, and Variety reports that he and the studio are looking for someone on the younger side to fill the role. Tom Francis, the 26-year-old British actor best known for his Olivier Award-winning role opposite Nicole Scherzinger in the musical “Sunset Boulevard,” has already auditioned, sources told Variety last month. Other stars heavily rumored to appear include Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Callum Turner.
Read Elba’s full British GQ interview here.
