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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“let’s not try and make it woke”
A hollywood actor with some integrity. There’s a novelty.
When Merv Griffin had a TV show his staff did not prepare him for the guests in a segment where they informed him they were starting on a reboot of the Wizard of Oz to be all black, the Wiz.
Unprepared, and quickly angry, Griffin blurted out: “No. No. You can’t do that. That’s a classic. You’ll ruin it doing that.”
I wish he would have stuck around for a few more iterations in the role. I would have liked to have seen what he did with the character.
I wish he would have stuck around for a few more iterations in the role. I would have liked to have seen what he did with the character.
And he's supposed to look like Hoagy Carmichael, who is from Indiana.
Modern film people working on the franchise: "Who?"
DNGAFF. That's like saying Sharlto Copley Is South African, therefore he should play Shaka Zulu in the remake.
Idris is a great actor, but he wasn't right for Lupin, and he isn't right for Bond. A great role for him would be Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Black. English.
If they want a black Bond, why don’t they introduce them in a Bond movie as a different 00. Then they could do a spin with that character. He could be Bondesque without being Bond.
He might make the best Bond ever. But whenever I run into a race-swapped or sex-swapped character, the story and the actor might be wonderful, but it doesn’t matter, I click off instantly. The reason is I’m so pissed off with the wokeification of characters and stories I liked I’m not going to watch. Those that I did watch turned out to be woke garbage and they have ruined it for any similar portrayal that might actually be good.
There are two other turnoffs. The voice over in the beginning that goes something along the lines of, “After conservatives ruined the environment and killed ninety percent of the population...” The other is some gorgeous petite woman toting a fifty cal like it weighs nothing or sucker punching some brute who weighs 250 pounds, so he flies backwards. I hear the beginning of the wokeism or see the cute woman with the gun and I’m gone.
You should listen to yulee.
I’m cool with it- just as long as they remake Shaft with some pasty white guy in the title role....
I was never a big Bond movie fan; I didn’t think Sean Connery was very compelling as a screen presence until he became older and played different kinds of roles.
But I did like Daniel Craig as Bond. He brought a sort of understated ‘brooding’ to the character that I liked.
I wouldn’t have a problem with a Black James Bond; it’s not like an African Helen of Troy...
So you wouldn’t watch Orson Welles playing Othello?
Good post. Fleming was enthusiastically in favor of Connery for the role and Fleming was involved in the movies of Dr. No and From Russia With Love (but only saw the filming of the scenes in Turkey) and watched some of the filming of Goldfinger but did not live to see the premiere.
Nope. Nor Placido Domingo if you know what I'm talking about. I also, don't like Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher. Wonder if you can figure out why?
Sean Connery was Scottish.
Ever notice how hollywood remakes White characters into black but never the other way around?
Jim West was white on the TV show
Nick Fury was white in the comics
Ralph Cramden of the Honeymooners was white on the TV show
All were made as black characters in the subsequent movies.
If they would have cast Bruce Willis in the Shaft movie instead of sambo L Jackson what do you suppose would have been the reaction?
You must hate yourself.
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