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Posted on 06/10/2026 1:06:51 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The recently knighted star has been linked to the role for a long time
Idris Elba has confirmed he will not be playing James Bond, saying that he felt some audiences wouldn’t “go for” a Black actor playing the role.
The award-winning actor, who has been the star of films including The Suicide Squad, Pacific Rim, and TV series The Wire, has been linked with the role for many years, with speculation building following the departure of Daniel Craig from the role in 2021. However, in a recent interview with British GQ, he discussed why he won’t be playing the part.
“I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” he said. “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. 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.”
Regarding whether 007 should change with the times, he remarked: “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 search for the new James Bond officially began last month, as casting begins for a lead for Denis Villeneuve’s new vision of the world’s most famous spy. It will be the first film since Amazon MGM Studios took over the creative direction of the character, and recently former Bond actor Léa Seydoux said she was “sad” that the company was in control of the franchise.
As for who is in contention for the part, reports emerged last month that You actor Tom Francis was auditioning for the role.
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Clarence Thomas is an American Original. The One and Only no one could imitate nor stand-in for.
I agree. Bond can go up against the evil Catbert of His Majesty’s Human Resources!
He should be. Too many have turned into Anthony Kennedy fans.
Same.
He was great as The Gunslinger.
Always thought Welles as the maddened Moor was bizarre.
Treat yourselves! All of the ‘Bond’ books are SO much better than the movies!
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/james-bond/
Ian Flemming. Accept no substitutes!
And while you’re at it, read all of the Travis McGee novels, too.
John D. MacDonald. Accept no substitutes!
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/travis-mcgee/
“The only thing black about him is the black comma of hair that adorns his forehead.”
And his tuxedo.
Which is why they won’t care if they kill the James Bond ‘Brand’. Bond is a smart, handsome, disciplined and mostly honorable white heterosexual who man who sleeps with sexy women. We just can’t have that...
That’s funny right there, I don’t care who ya are!
Wrong sex. Should be Ryan Gosling. In drag.
It’s just a number...........
They could make him double-oh-fitty, and call him Jamal Bondarius.
That way they avoid the cultural appropriation trap.
Anybody can be a Double-Naught Spy.................
And I suppose that having Bond in current-day England arresting Henry Nowak would not produce big box-office either. And having Bond active today makes as much sense as having Ivanhoe fighting in WW I. (another Roger Moore reference....)
MI5 has no authority to arrest anyone anywhere.
Even better than that was “Highlander”, with a Scot playing a Spaniard, and a Frenchman playing a Scot.
Well, quite often it wasn’t “winning”. Before Daniel Craig it was in the doldrums.
And quite a few of the older Bond movies are unwatchable now, and I’ve tried. Good for their time in their time, but the pacing etc are infuriating today.
If Bond is a 007 title not a personal name, as seen by the shifts from Connery to Moore to Lazenby to Daltin to Brisnan to Craig, as long as Bond is aggressively male it can work.
Idris Elba in his younger days would have been great in this role. Look at some of his roles like Luther etc and you can see a good Bond
“Bond is an Englishman”
Sean Connery: Scottish
George Lazenby: Australian
Roger Moore: English
Timothy Dalton: Welsh
Pierce Brosnan: Irish
Daniel Craig: English
Idris Elba is in many ways more English in his acting characters than Connery.
Connery was absolutely nothing like the James Bond of the novels.
Dalton was close.
Both weren’t English.
All of the actors who played Bond were different. Their commonality was being suave, smart, aggressive, and aggressively male, cool under pressure and with a quip and cool gear.
A non English ethnicity actor did the role well in the past, and could do so in the future, provided they embody those above characteristics
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