Sir Idris Elba doesn’t think James Bond should be “woke”.
Sir Idris Elba doens’t think speculation he would play James Bond was ‘legit’
The 53-year-old actor was tipped to take over as the suave spy following Daniel Craig‘s exit in 2021’s Spectre, but he has insisted the rumours were “never legit” because global audiences wouldn’t accept a Black man playing the role and he doesn’t think the character should be forced to change because of political correctness.
He told Britain’s GQ magazine:“It was never legit. It was always just a rumour.
“I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing.
“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.
“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 can currently be seen playing Man-At-Arms in Masters of the Universe and was initially “a bit conscious” that he doesn’t look anything like the usually-ginger character, but ultimately realised it didn’t matter.
He laughed: “Talk about recasting. I was a bit conscious about it. But then I was like, What are you talking about?! Man-At-Arms could be any colour! He’s got green legs, for God’s sake!”
Idris accepted the role simply because of his love of He-Man and wasn’t worried about the trajectory of his career.
He admitted: “I did that for me, man. I remember taking it, thinking, Uhhhh…
“I suppose at my age, with the kind of things I’ve done, and the kind of things I’m doing, can I get away with being in a film like that? I thought, F*** it, why not?”
The Luther star directed 2018 crime drama Yardie and is at the helm of an upcoming adaptation of This Is How it Goes, and he admitted directing has given him a new wave of inspiration in his career.
He said: “If directing wasn’t an option for me, I’m not sure how long I’d be acting.
“I want to be inspired again. I think the inspiration comes from watching other actors and moulding and getting people to say it differently.”
