Idris Elba lost interest in the role of James Bond after the racist reactions that rumors about him provoked.
Idris Elba as James Bond: Rumors have been circulating for years. While it was an honor for him, the actor recently said (via Variety, reported by ComingSoon) that the racist backlash over the idea caused him to lose interest in the project.
Speaking during a recent interview during the “SmartLess” podcast, Idris Elba briefly addressed the rumours, announcing for the first time that he had heard them and that it was a huge compliment for him.
The truth is, I was super flattered for a long time about it. I was like, ‘This is crazy!’ James Bond… We are all actors and we understand this role. It’s one of those [rôles] coveted. When you’re asked to be James Bond it’s like, ‘Okay, you’ve kind of reached the top’. It’s one of those things the whole world has the right to vote for.
However, he added that while most “corners of the world” were thrilled with the idea, “some corners” weren’t, and that ultimately put the actor off the project.
Those who weren’t happy with the idea made it gross and off-putting because it was all about race. It became nonsense and I paid for it.
Whoever ends up playing the next James Bond will have to be ready to shoulder an enormous responsibility and will have to live up to his prestigious predecessors. Fans will probably have to wait a while to find out who the lucky guy will be and even longer to see him in action.
“There’s no script, and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next movie because, really, it’s a reimagining of Bond.,” said Barbara Broccoli, the franchise’s longtime producer, last year. “We’re reinventing who he is, and that takes time. I would say that the shooting is in at least two years.”
IDRIS ELBA IS TIRED OF BEING CATALOGED
In the past, the actor had already spoken publicly of his frustration at being labeled a “black actor”. In a February interview with Esquire UK, he admitted that he stopped calling himself such because it limited his career.
“As humans, we’re obsessed with race, and that obsession can really get in the way of people’s aspirations, get in the way of people’s growth. Racism should be a topic of discussion, of course. Racism is very real. But from my point of view, it’s only as powerful as you let it be,” he had declared.
“I stopped describing myself as a black actor when I realized it put me in a box. We have to grow. We need to. Our skin is nothing more than that: it’s just skin. Diatribe over.”
Idris Elba is currently headlining the Apple TV+ thriller series, hi-jackbroadcast since June 28.