Who will be the next James Bond? Since the spectacular departure of Daniel Craig (53) as 007 in “James Bond: No Time To Die”, this has been one of the most pressing questions in the film business. One name keeps coming up in this context: Idris Elba (49). Now Bond producer Barbara Broccoli (61) has at least admitted that Elba was part of the talks about Daniel Craig’s successor.
In a podcast interview with “Deadline”, Barbara Broccoli was of course also asked about the new 007 actor – although the supreme guardian of the Bond brand does not name any names in the middle of the casting. Of course, the name Idris Elba also came up in the conversation. The “Luther” star has been one of the hottest candidates for the prestigious role for years. The Briton with African roots – his father is from Sierra Leone, his mother from Ghana – would be the first Bond actor with non-white skin.
Idris Elba “Part of the conversation”
Broccoli praises Elba, with whom she is a private friend, in the highest tones: “He’s a great actor”. And she admits he plays a part in her deliberations for the 007 recast. Or at least played. “He was part of the conversation,” she says of the casting process. “But it’s always difficult to have a conversation when someone is already sitting in the chair.”
The producer is alluding to the fact that she didn’t want to talk about a successor during Craig’s tenure as Bond. But negotiations have apparently been going on behind the scenes for some time. After all, Craig announced his departure from the role years ago.
It’s hard to say whether Broccoli’s outing is good news or bad news for Idris Elba. Fans eager to see 2018’s Sexiest Man Alive in Bond’s suit now know their star is at least getting vetted, too.
(smi/spot)