Sony Want THOR Star Idris Elba To Be The Next JAMES BOND

[Dioltach]

I'm not sure I really understand this. Have a black actor for James Bond purely for the sake of having a black James Bond? Then why particularly a black Bond: just because there's a vocal minority calling for it in the US? Why not an Indian Bond, or a Chinese Bond -- surely they would appeal more to larger markets?

Mind that I'm not saying that there shouldn't be a black Bond, as long as the actor is good and it's done for story reasons. (For the record, I prefer to view James Bond as a generic label that's used to narrate the exploits of anonymous secret agents, which explains background inconsistencies and reboots.) But strictly speaking Bond would be approx. 10 times more likely to be Asian than black in Scotland, or in fact in the UK as a whole (though admittedly this is based on Wikipedia data, so unverified by me personally).

 

[Morrus]

I'm not sure I really understand this. Have a black actor for James Bond purely for the sake of having a black James Bond?

No, Idris Elba because he's a wonderful British actor who would make an amazing Bond. Yes, he happens to be black.

Why not an Indian Bond, or a Chinese Bond -- surely they would appeal more to larger markets?

Sure. Suggest some suitable candidates.

But strictly speaking Bond would be approx. 10 times more likely to be Asian than black in Scotland, or in fact in the UK

"Strictly speaking" Bond is all complete nonsense.

And has been English twice, Welsh once, Scottish once, and Australian once.

 

[Dioltach]

No, Idris Elba because he's a wonderful British actor who would make an amazing Bond. Yes, he happens to be black.

That's not what the article says:

There's been a lot of talk about the next James Bond being played by a black actor, and one name which keeps coming up is Luther and Thor: The Dark World star Idris Elba.

This sounds to me like it's the other way around: Idris Elba's name is being mentioned because some people want a black Bond.

Sure. Suggest some suitable candidates.

I can't do that because I'm not a casting director and it's not my job to scout actors for particular roles (seriously, who among the general public had thought of Daniel Craig as Bond before his casting was announced?). Actually, I've never seen Idris Elba in anything either, so I can't comment on whether or not he'd be good as James Bond. That said, I'd buy Adrian Lester as Bond in a heartbeat.

 

[Morrus]

That's not what the article says:

No, it's what I say.

I can't do that because I'm not a casting director and it's not my job to scout actors for particular roles

You can't say anything in causal conversation unless it's your job to do so?

 

[Dioltach]

No, it's what I say.

Fair enough. Just to be clear, though, my original comment was not about whether Idris Elba would be good in the role of Bond (in fact based on the views expressed here -- from people whose opinions I've come to respect -- I'm sure he would); it was aimed at the reports that Sony want a black actor for Bond.

You can't say anything in causal conversation unless it's your job to do so?

No, I can't make properly informed suggestions about something that I know very little about, in this case actors, of whatever ethnicity, who would be good in the role of James Bond. I watch very few movies, and although I watch a lot of series on DVD, I would find it very difficult to divorce the actors from their roles in those series. So I'd hesitate to name anyone; the only reason I mentioned Adrian Lester was because to my mind Hustle allowed him to demonstrate his ability to portray an incredibly broad range of different characters.

 

[Morrus]

Fair enough. Just to be clear, though, my original comment was not about whether Idris Elba would be good in the role of Bond (in fact based on the views expressed here -- from people whose opinions I've come to respect -- I'm sure he would); it was aimed at the reports that Sony want a black actor for Bond.

Sony doesn't make Bond. That was just one person at Sony offering an opinion in a private email that got leaked, and subsequently sparked a million speculative articles like the one above.

 

[Dioltach]

Sony doesn't make Bond. That was just one person at Sony offering an opinion in a private email that got leaked, and subsequently sparked a million speculative articles like the one above.

Actually, they do (indirectly, through MGM, as far as I can tell). As demonstrated by the fact that a version of the script of the upcoming film was stolen when Sony was hacked recently.

 

[Morrus]

Actually, they do (indirectly, through MGM, as far as I can tell). As demonstrated by the fact that a version of the script of the upcoming film was stolen when Sony was hacked recently.

They distribute it in some territories. They have no involvement in the production. It's made by Eon.

 

[Dioltach]

And they co-own the copyrights. So they're a bit more involved than merely as distributors.

 

[delericho]

But strictly speaking Bond would be approx. 10 times more likely to be Asian than black in Scotland, or in fact in the UK as a whole...

If you're going by the obit in "You Only Live Twice" (and "Skyfall"), then Bond is half-Scottish and half-Swiss. That makes it vanishingly unlikely he would be anything other than white.

However, any book-based argument against having a black actor play Bond can be (and indeed was) levelled against having a blond actor play Bond. Per the books, Daniel Craig is as wrong for the part as Idris Elba.

When the time comes to recast the part, I do indeed hope that the powers-that-be won't decide there's a 'need' to have a black actor play Bond, or to have a female Bond, or whatever, but rather that they'll instead look at getting the best actor they can to play the character. And, as has been said by others, Idris Elba would be a very fine choice for the role.