Idris Elba never thought a Black actor being cast as James Bond was 'realistic': 'Let's not try and make it woke'
Idris Elba never thought a Black actor being cast as James Bond was 'realistic': 'Let's not try and make it woke'
Derek LawrenceMon, June 8, 2026 at 1:58 PM UTC
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Idris Elba; Daniel Craig in 'Skyfall'Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage; Francois Duhamel/SonyKey Points -
Idris Elba believes it was "not a realistic thing" for him to be James Bond.
Despite years of speculation, he didn't view it as "legit."
The British actor doesn't believe audiences would accept a Black Bond.
Idris Elba thinks it is time for the James Bond rumors about him to die.
For well over a decade, movie fans have (rightfully) pushed the British star as the perfect next 007, but Elba believes that the rumors of him being in the mix were "never legit."
"I've always felt that it's not a realistic thing," he told British GQ. "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."
Elba continued, "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."
Idris Elba at 'Knuckles' premiere in 2024Credit: Tim P. Whitby/Getty
As far back as 2015, Elba was hearing the calls that he should be the man to eventually replace Daniel Craig as the iconic character. At the time, he seemed much more receptive to the idea being a possibility.
"If human beings want to know if there's any connectivity between all of us, the one thing I've heard around the world universally is that, 'You'll be great at James Bond,'" he said. "If it should happen, that's proof there's connectivity amongst human beings. If everyone wants something, they can make it happen."
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Complicating Elba's chances to step in as Bond was the duration of Craig's run. Craig starred in five 007 films, spanning 15 years, and finally walked away after 2021's No Time to Die.
"We know Idris, we're friends with him, and he's a magnificent actor," former Bond producer Barbara Broccoli said in early 2022. "And, you know, it's been part of the conversation, but it's always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat."
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Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson have since handed creative control of the series to Amazon MGM Studios. And while the search for the new Bond is finally underway, it's believed that director Denis Villeneuve and casting director Nina Gold are searching for an actor significantly younger than Elba, who is now 53.
Even with no martinis on his horizon, Elba is staying plenty busy, between his recent role in Masters of the Universe and an upcoming return to his signature character, Det. John Luther, in a second Luther film for Netflix.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
