Idris Elba has said he was never a realistic contender to play James Bond, describing the speculation linking him to the role as “never legit” and arguing that audiences in some markets would not accept a black actor as 007. “I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” the 53-year-old star of Luther told British GQ. “James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it.”
The actor, who is currently promoting his new film Masters of the Universe, said the character should not be made “woke”. “Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke,” he said. “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 says his race made him an unrealistic James Bond contender, calling the speculation 'never legit'.”
Elba added that, while he was honoured by the speculation, he believed the franchise’s global audience would resist a non-white Bond. “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.”
The actor had previously ruled himself out in 2023, telling the SmartLess podcast that the conversation “became about race” and was “disgusting and off-putting”.
Since Daniel Craig stepped down after 2021’s No Time to Die, the search for the next Bond has intensified. Last month, veteran casting director Nina Gold was brought on board for Amazon MGM’s reboot, joining director Denis Villeneuve and screenwriter Steven Knight. A source told Variety that 26-year-old Tom Francis has already auditioned, while Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jacob Elordi and Callum Turner are all apparently in the frame. Other names considered frontrunners include Harris Dickinson, Jack Lowden and Louis Partridge.