Idris Elba reveals why James Bond rumours were never ‘realistic’

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe Luther star’s name was thrown in the mix when Daniel Craig announced he’d step down (AFP/Getty)Idris Elba has said that rumours of him becoming the next James Bond were not “realistic” due to his race. “I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” he told GQ, adding: “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.”On whether a Black actor should be cast in the role, Elba said: “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.”Elba previously ruled himself out of the running in 2023. He told the SmartLess podcast: “Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race.”Casting director Nina Gold and the forthcoming film’s director, Denis Villeneuve, are currently auditioning actors to play the next James Bond.In fullIdris Elba says he was never ‘realistic’ James Bond contender because of raceThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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