Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • Luke Evans
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 709
    Germanlady wrote: »
    In the end, he got the door shown in first round of GQ, for rxample. I think, he isnt half as popular for the role, as tje media wants us to nelieve. Bit he is better hesdlines, thats all. It eill not happen. Sorry ole boy.

    I have noticed, generally speaking, that its usually American websites and publications that are stumping for Elba. I wonder why! In the British press, less so. He'll be mentioned in a group article, with the other usual suspects, Hardy, Fassbender, Lewis etc, but there seems to be far less hype about him in general. As you said, the GQ mag gave him a token mention, but he got very few votes from Bond's home crowd. And Aiden Turner was second in that poll. Is he ever mentioned anywhere on US sites? Never. American bloggers just keep cluelessly throwing out the same 40-something names over and over again with no understanding of EON's history with this kind of thing.





  • DrShatterhandDrShatterhand Garden of Death, near Belfast
    Posts: 805
    Murdock wrote: »
    I'm just spitballing but I think it works. The title song will be "So who's funeral is it? Not Mine!" :))

    The title will be:

    YOU only live once!

    Or Licence Extended

  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Szonana wrote: »
    Only other franchise where the media always ask "Who next?" is the US Presidency.

    The longest franchise might be the Pope :))


    So true
    :))


    What if we(audiences) could vote for the Bond actor since now on?

    No chance. Western voting would be bad enough, but people from the east as well. Too many clueless OR PC (for the sake of it) idiots out there.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Szonana wrote: »
    What if we(audiences) could vote for the Bond actor since now on?

    I wouldn't be surprised if the general public voted for Pierce Brosnan to return once Craig quits.

    A better call than Elba though.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Szonana wrote: »
    What if we(audiences) could vote for the Bond actor since now on?

    I wouldn't be surprised if the general public voted for Pierce Brosnan to return once Craig quits.

    A better call than Elba though.

    You rather have Pierce back than Elba?
    :))

    Neither will happen of course :)
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited November 2015 Posts: 5,131
    Without a doubt. Pierce was good in GE and given a decent script, would have been better in all his films, plus he looks the part (he's a bit old now obviously). In fact the return of Pierce makes more sence than many of the press suggestions! Elba doesn't even look the part. As Doubleego said, I don't want a Bond that isn't white. It's that simple. No beating about the bush or elaborate justifications. Bond is and should always be white.

    Neither will happen of course, I agree.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    I have noticed, generally speaking, that its usually American websites and publications that are stumping for Elba. I wonder why! In the British press, less so. He'll be mentioned in a group article, with the other usual suspects, Hardy, Fassbender, Lewis etc, but there seems to be far less hype about him in general. As you said, the GQ mag gave him a token mention, but he got very few votes from Bond's home crowd. And Aiden Turner was second in that poll. Is he ever mentioned anywhere on US sites? Never. American bloggers just keep cluelessly throwing out the same 40-something names over and over again with no understanding of EON's history with this kind of thing.
    That's simple to explain. It's because Bond is a British invention, and Fleming was British. So there is more interest in preserving the essence of the character and how he was initially conceived by his creator. A reverence if you will.

    With Americans it's more about the hypothetical. Why can't a British spy be black? Or are the Brits so stuffy that they won't even consider it? After all, the American president is black........and so on and so on.

    Bottom line - show me another possible contender who has the charisma and physique, not to mention acting capabilities of Elba out there right now. There isn't one. EON had better find him or they had better throw moola at DC to retain him.
  • JNOJNO Finland
    Posts: 137
    If Elba ever signs for the role, I´ll eat a hatful of shit.

    JB is a white man.
  • Posts: 11,425
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 11,425
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.
  • Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Just as hilarious as being called racist just because you don't automatically bow down at the idea of Elba being Bond. All the other actors (Lazenby excepted, but he was dubbed for half the film anyway), for me, spoke within a correct range of portraying Ian Fleming's character who went to Eton and Fettes. Craig and Connery do lean slightly more towards working class, but no-one with a cockney accent would be acceptable as James Bond to me. It doesn't seem right. I'd dismiss Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, Ray Winstone, and Michael Caine etc for the exact same reason.

    So that's my personal quirk, maybe. Other people have hangups about Bond having a certain hair color or has to be a certain height but I'm not really bothered about those. Anyway, moving on...no-one's mentioned Fassbender in at least three pages so it's time for another week long discussion about him!
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    edited November 2015 Posts: 2,138
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.
  • Posts: 2,081
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    Tuulia wrote: »
    I think it's awful. As far as I know no other franchise is constantly put through a similar thing to the same extent - when there's a new movie the main attention is on the new movie, right? The main attention is on the actor playing the role, not on other actors suggested by someone to the role. Also, no other franchise is expected to radically change the lead character to be black or female or whatever. I don't take it as a compliment that a Bond actor is not allowed to just be Bond, without inquiries about when will you leave and who is next. And it's as if the character itself just isn't accepted to be what it is (even with some changes over the decades), but should become a different character in order to... what?

    Bond gets these criticisms of "he should be black", "he should be gay", "he should be female" etc because of what he represents - a white, (aggressively) heterosexual male. Batman and Superman etc don't get this same criticism because they're essentially non-sexual. They have PG level "love interests" but there are no sex scenes. PC groups mostly in America want everything to be multicultural and multi-sexual, so Bond is a massive target for them because he represents a more old fashioned, conservative worldview.

    And that's exactly why there won't be any changes.

    http://deadline.com/2015/11/spectre-second-weekend-by-the-sea-bombing-angelina-jolie-brad-pitt-1201622151/

    "continues to show a heavy older male turnout for Bond 24 at 59% guys and 72% over 25"

    Bond skews to a much older, and therefore conservative, audience than the average millenial bait Marvel/Furious 7 type of movie. The Bond audience knows what they like, and they like Bond because its familiar and they know what they're going to get. Changing Bond to black or gay will turn off the core audience, period. When it comes to hiring Bond 7, EON might make some PC noises about looking at actors of all skin colors etc etc, but when it comes down to it, guaranteed it'll be a white guy.

    And just in time to prove my point, SPECTRE gets the Newt Gingrich seal of approval :))


    I partly agree. But there are hardly "sex scenes" in Bond, either.

    Goodness me, over 25 counts as "older male"? :)) Okay... I guess it's all relative... And 59% is not heavily male audience to me, btw.
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Actors changing accents for various roles is a normal thing, though, so I don't see why an actor's own accent should be important for the roles they can or can't play. Not everyone is good with accents, though, or don't bother much with them, so that would be another matter, then. - And I'm not speaking about Elba, specifically, and have no idea how he is with accents. But just in general, why should it matter what accents actors use when not on screen?

    dinovelvet wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Just as hilarious as being called racist just because you don't automatically bow down at the idea of Elba being Bond. All the other actors (Lazenby excepted, but he was dubbed for half the film anyway), for me, spoke within a correct range of portraying Ian Fleming's character who went to Eton and Fettes. Craig and Connery do lean slightly more towards working class, but no-one with a cockney accent would be acceptable as James Bond to me. It doesn't seem right. I'd dismiss Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, Ray Winstone, and Michael Caine etc for the exact same reason.

    So that's my personal quirk, maybe. Other people have hangups about Bond having a certain hair color or has to be a certain height but I'm not really bothered about those. Anyway, moving on...no-one's mentioned Fassbender in at least three pages so it's time for another week long discussion about him!

    :)) He was mentioned even earlier on this page... :P

  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Everyone keeps saying it's not going to happen.. but remember Babs? I think the push will be to hire Elba. And they will hire P&W and campaign for Mendes and make Bond personal this time and produce a 4 hour crap fest with no plot and tired retread action sequences on skis and boats ...oh and the Bond girl will be different this time and be Bond's equal . ... blah blah blah blah.

    As crappy as all that sounds I can see every bit of that happening.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2015 Posts: 23,883
    Well, Legend with Tom Hardy opens this week. I'm definitely going to see it.

    Black Mass with Depp (another possible Oscar contender) disappointed, so I'm hoping this one impresses me.

    I'll be looking for clues as to whether Hardy can take Bond on.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    bondjames wrote: »
    Well, Legend with Tom Hardy opens this week. I'm definitely going to see it.

    Black Mass with Depp (another possible Oscar contender) disappointed, so I'm hoping this one impresses me.

    I'll be looking for clues as to whether Hardy can take Bond on.

    I'm interested to see what you think. I like Hardy and he's a popular name to replace Craig. I like his acting but I don't know yet.

    Since Craig I believe some of the newer audience has a different vision of how Bond looks.

    I could be wrong. Either way I'll remain a die-hard Bond fan.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Well, Legend with Tom Hardy opens this week. I'm definitely going to see it.

    Black Mass with Depp (another possible Oscar contender) disappointed, so I'm hoping this one impresses me.

    I'll be looking for clues as to whether Hardy can take Bond on.

    I'm interested to see what you think. I like Hardy and he's a popular name to replace Craig. I like his acting but I don't know yet.

    Since Craig I believe some of the newer audience has a different vision of how Bond looks.

    I could be wrong. Either way I'll remain a die-hard Bond fan.
    I'll admit to not being all that familiar with him. The two most successful films of his that I've seen recently he was either wearing a mask (TDKR) or grunting a lot (MM-FR). I vaguely remember him from Inception but he wasn't all that memorable.

    He looks incredibly charismatic in the trailers so I'm curious to see this film. He's a bit on the butch and short side however. Unlike some, I think even with camera tricks (like they definitely used in SP to make DC look taller) that it would be better if we got a taller actor next time.
  • Posts: 1,098
    This is the UK's best known agent, who could fill the role of Bond.

    https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTEBiy2UWeyFvGw5p0k2cMiuv01Q6DbmLQxwYIvcJ5Z9RF4Pqx

  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    mepal1 wrote: »

    Thanks ...my new wallpaper for the week.
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 11,425
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?

    Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.

    Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.
  • Posts: 11,425
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?

    Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.

    Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.

    Well, he was pretty damn good in the Wire. But take your point. And a background in TV is where many Bond actors have come from - Rog, Tim, Pierce, Dan. It's how most British actors get their breaks.

    Ejiofor may be the more overall gifted actor, but that doesnt automatically make him better Bond material.

  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited November 2015 Posts: 5,131
    bondjames wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    I have noticed, generally speaking, that its usually American websites and publications that are stumping for Elba. I wonder why! In the British press, less so. He'll be mentioned in a group article, with the other usual suspects, Hardy, Fassbender, Lewis etc, but there seems to be far less hype about him in general. As you said, the GQ mag gave him a token mention, but he got very few votes from Bond's home crowd. And Aiden Turner was second in that poll. Is he ever mentioned anywhere on US sites? Never. American bloggers just keep cluelessly throwing out the same 40-something names over and over again with no understanding of EON's history with this kind of thing.
    That's simple to explain. It's because Bond is a British invention, and Fleming was British. So there is more interest in preserving the essence of the character and how he was initially conceived by his creator. A reverence if you will.

    With Americans it's more about the hypothetical. Why can't a British spy be black? Or are the Brits so stuffy that they won't even consider it? After all, the American president is black........and so on and so on.

    Bottom line - show me another possible contender who has the charisma and physique, not to mention acting capabilities of Elba out there right now. There isn't one. EON had better find him or they had better throw moola at DC to retain him.

    Agree with all your points. But it doesn't get away from the fact that Elba is Black. Yet the character of Bond is white. That rules Elba and Ejiofor out completely. There hasn't been a Black Bond villain since 1973...Elba can have that part if he likes!
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?

    Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.

    Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.

    Well, he was pretty damn good in the Wire. But take your point. And a background in TV is where many Bond actors have come from - Rog, Tim, Pierce, Dan. It's how most British actors get their breaks.

    Ejiofor may be the more overall gifted actor, but that doesnt automatically make him better Bond material.
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?

    Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.

    Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.

    Well, he was pretty damn good in the Wire. But take your point. And a background in TV is where many Bond actors have come from - Rog, Tim, Pierce, Dan. It's how most British actors get their breaks.

    Ejiofor may be the more overall gifted actor, but that doesnt automatically make him better Bond material.


    Tim and Pierce were theatre trained prior to any TV roles. You are right in that TV helped both their careers. Dan was different though he had already worked with Spielberg and played lead in a Guy Ritchie movie. Brosnan's route to Bond was different he was dating Cassandra Harris who played Countess Lisl von Schlaf in FYEO in which he was introduced to Cubby on location who took one look at him and said ""if he can act ... he's my guy" in other words like Lazenby he was hired on his look alone. Dalton was a serious drama thespian actor the first actor hired on not just his look but his acting ability although Connery turned out to be a great he was also hired on his looks. Moore was hired because he was already a parody of Bond in Spy world in the Saint which had a massive following Moore was a Saltzman idea, Broccoli was unconvinced in casting him. Funny as Cubby and Moore because so close and even after Saltzman's departure Cubby stuck with him.

    With the global audience and the budgets involved in Bond now, the days of casting a TV or Theatre actor only know to UK audience I believe are over. The next Bond will be someone British, and someone who has shown they have a range of acting with some global appeal and success. Dan will be a hard act to follow, in order to keep the non committal fans of the franchise to keep paying to see the movies it needs to be someone with draw. I think the one sticking out like a sore thumb is Tom Hardy two rumours which came over a year apart 1. He had already agreed to take over in a verbal agreement with EON and that he would not do a sequel to This Means War in which he played a spy or consider any other spy franchises. A year later the next rumour was that he has been told the job is his when Dan decides not to continue. I am looking at it from Barb's view and I am think Hardy is ticking the boxes

    British
    Has already done massive films
    Has the physique
    Has a great range of acting
    Can be dry and funny
    dedicated to his craft and can morph in to roles Bane/Bronson/Krays
    Displays believable emotion on screen
    Gritty

    He is at a good age to take over in two years, and an even better ages to take over in 4.
    Hardy himself says he doesn't want it to be talked about, because when peoples names are run by the press that person doesn't get considered further, so he clearly wants it.


    I am pretty sure Tom Hardy will be the next James Bond. I reckon Nolan who worked who cast him in DKR and Inception would be the one directing him again.


  • Posts: 6,601
    I don't think, he has mass appeal really. Good actor, but better suited for small roles or supporting ones IMO.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138

    Germanlady wrote: »
    I don't think, he has mass appeal really. Good actor, but better suited for small roles or supporting ones IMO.

    Hi career path almost replicates Daniels, Obligatroy guy Ritchie movie Rocknrolla - Tv Drama's playing the bad guys, on to Holywood playing the villain. Without a doubt if your EON and looking he is your front runner.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited November 2015 Posts: 23,883
    Germanlady wrote: »
    I don't think, he has mass appeal really. Good actor, but better suited for small roles or supporting ones IMO.
    Hi career path almost replicates Daniels, Obligatroy guy Ritchie movie Rocknrolla - Tv Drama's playing the bad guys, on to Holywood playing the villain. Without a doubt if your EON and looking he is your front runner.
    That may be true, unless you want a change of pace or to take a different approach to DC.
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 11,425
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?

    Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.

    Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.

    Well, he was pretty damn good in the Wire. But take your point. And a background in TV is where many Bond actors have come from - Rog, Tim, Pierce, Dan. It's how most British actors get their breaks.

    Ejiofor may be the more overall gifted actor, but that doesnt automatically make him better Bond material.
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    dinovelvet wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    [I just think there is a reason that people keep on mentioning Elba and that's because when they picture him in the role there is something that just seems right about it - regardless of skin colour.
    I don't want a black Bond either, but I have to agree with this. Elba screams Bond and that's why it's being brought up over and over again. He is the best man for the job.

    The pressure is on EON to find a suitable 'white' successor to Craig, to finally dispense with these rumours.

    I don't see how anyone who speaks in a cockney accent is "the best man for the job". Yeah, I know, he could do an accent for Bond. But why hire someone who has to change the way they speak when there are plenty of candidates who would naturally sound right for it.

    Anyway, straight from the horse's mouth...

    http://www.tmz.com/2015/11/14/idris-elba-james-bond/?adid=external_site_spinmedia

    Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!

    The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".

    Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?

    Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.

    For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.

    The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.

    Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.

    To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.

    As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.

    Any way, it ain't gonna happen.

    Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.

    http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/

    We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.


    Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.

    Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.

    All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.

    http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo

    And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?

    Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.

    Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.

    Well, he was pretty damn good in the Wire. But take your point. And a background in TV is where many Bond actors have come from - Rog, Tim, Pierce, Dan. It's how most British actors get their breaks.

    Ejiofor may be the more overall gifted actor, but that doesnt automatically make him better Bond material.


    Tim and Pierce were theatre trained prior to any TV roles. You are right in that TV helped both their careers. Dan was different though he had already worked with Spielberg and played lead in a Guy Ritchie movie. Brosnan's route to Bond was different he was dating Cassandra Harris who played Countess Lisl von Schlaf in FYEO in which he was introduced to Cubby on location who took one look at him and said ""if he can act ... he's my guy" in other words like Lazenby he was hired on his look alone. Dalton was a serious drama thespian actor the first actor hired on not just his look but his acting ability although Connery turned out to be a great he was also hired on his looks. Moore was hired because he was already a parody of Bond in Spy world in the Saint which had a massive following Moore was a Saltzman idea, Broccoli was unconvinced in casting him. Funny as Cubby and Moore because so close and even after Saltzman's departure Cubby stuck with him.

    With the global audience and the budgets involved in Bond now, the days of casting a TV or Theatre actor only know to UK audience I believe are over. The next Bond will be someone British, and someone who has shown they have a range of acting with some global appeal and success. Dan will be a hard act to follow, in order to keep the non committal fans of the franchise to keep paying to see the movies it needs to be someone with draw. I think the one sticking out like a sore thumb is Tom Hardy two rumours which came over a year apart 1. He had already agreed to take over in a verbal agreement with EON and that he would not do a sequel to This Means War in which he played a spy or consider any other spy franchises. A year later the next rumour was that he has been told the job is his when Dan decides not to continue. I am looking at it from Barb's view and I am think Hardy is ticking the boxes

    British
    Has already done massive films
    Has the physique
    Has a great range of acting
    Can be dry and funny
    dedicated to his craft and can morph in to roles Bane/Bronson/Krays
    Displays believable emotion on screen
    Gritty


    He is at a good age to take over in two years, and an even better ages to take over in 4.
    Hardy himself says he doesn't want it to be talked about, because when peoples names are run by the press that person doesn't get considered further, so he clearly wants it.


    I am pretty sure Tom Hardy will be the next James Bond. I reckon Nolan who worked who cast him in DKR and Inception would be the one directing him again.


    Err... This would be many people's view of Idris Elba. Have you actually seen him in anything other than Luther. He's a decent actor and displays most, if not all the qualities you outline above.

    He's currently lead in Beasts of No Nation, which has had some talking of Oscar nominations. He's been directed by Guy Ritchie, Ridley Scott and Ken Brannagh. He's been nominated for a Golden Globe three times and four Emmys. And he's probably better known in the US than Tom Hardy (who frankly looks like a bricklayer).

    He's not the second rate bit part player you seem to be making him out to be.
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