Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    "Anyone who feels this way is saying skin color would make them not like the character."

    Well, I feel that way, since you're quoting me, but I wouldn't dislike the character because a black actor was cast. You were literally discussing me directly there, not sure where the confusion on your end is coming from. Thus, that's completely wrong.

    I would say that LucknFate was only discussing what you said regarding others, not actually discussing you.
  • Posts: 4,133
    God I miss the days when we were debating whether the face in the crack during the SF titles sequence was Craig or an 8 year old boy...

    That and what jawline an actor should have...
  • Posts: 12,466
    The saddest thing I’ve realized is that EON just isn’t going to win no matter who they cast next. If it’s another white man, the progressive Twitter crowd will be up in arms about it, and if it’s a non-white person, plenty of hateful backlash will follow too. It’s such a shame this even has to be an issue.
  • TheSkyfallen06TheSkyfallen06 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
    Posts: 1,098
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I do think Purvis and Wade would probably make this change a plot point.
    You mean like a CODENAME?

  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    LucknFate wrote: »
    "Simply because some prefer a white Bond, they are suddenly racist."

    Yes. lol. If I prefer a white teacher, that'd make me racist. If I prefer a white Sherlock Holmes, I'd be racist. If I preferred a white prime minister, I'd be racist. Same with James Bond buddy!

    Apples and oranges. Preferring a white teacher or Prime Minister is completely different than preferring that a fictional character remain an established ethnicity.

    I don’t want want extremely pale, freckled red headed American to be Bond; I guess that makes me a “gingerist” and , as an American, a self loathing xenophobe. Wait, is that possible? 🤔

    I almost think we’re being punked

  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    FoxRox wrote: »
    The saddest thing I’ve realized is that EON just isn’t going to win no matter who they cast next. If it’s another white man, the progressive Twitter crowd will be up in arms about it, and if it’s a non-white person, plenty of hateful backlash will follow too. It’s such a shame this even has to be an issue.

    I don't think so necessarily. Did that happen when Pattinson was Batman? (I don't actually know, I don't follow superheroes much. But I feel like whenever there's a black person or a woman cast in anything the negative reaction is larger, and usually involves bullying, than when a white man is cast).
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    edited October 2022 Posts: 40,968
    @mtm, no? He made that comment in regards to something I said, which he quoted verbatim. If that wasn't his intention, it certainly didn't come across as anything but to me.
  • TheSkyfallen06TheSkyfallen06 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
    Posts: 1,098
    FoxRox wrote: »
    The saddest thing I’ve realized is that EON just isn’t going to win no matter who they cast next. If it’s another white man, the progressive Twitter crowd will be up in arms about it, and if it’s a non-white person, plenty of hateful backlash will follow too. It’s such a shame this even has to be an issue.

    That doesn't matter for me, i don't care if the next Bond INDEED IS BLACK OR WHITE, if the actor does it good, i'm fine with it.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 1,645
    FoxRox wrote: »
    The saddest thing I’ve realized is that EON just isn’t going to win no matter who they cast next. If it’s another white man, the progressive Twitter crowd will be up in arms about it, and if it’s a non-white person, plenty of hateful backlash will follow too. It’s such a shame this even has to be an issue.

    I have no issue with whoever they cast next. I am a fan of the franchise and the stories and have complete faith in Eon's casting abilities. I will not be upset if we get another white actor, or anyone else.

    However, I do believe this franchise can support and sustain a non-white actor, and it absolutely should not be off the table as some here would like.

    I don't think everyone here is considering what their words may mean to someone else, who isn't a life-long white Bond fan. Fans look bad from that perspective saying James Bond can only be white. Some of you are making me look bad.
  • Posts: 12,466
    mtm wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    The saddest thing I’ve realized is that EON just isn’t going to win no matter who they cast next. If it’s another white man, the progressive Twitter crowd will be up in arms about it, and if it’s a non-white person, plenty of hateful backlash will follow too. It’s such a shame this even has to be an issue.

    I don't think so necessarily. Did that happen when Pattinson was Batman? (I don't actually know, I don't follow superheroes much. But I feel like whenever there's a black person or a woman cast in anything the negative reaction is larger, and usually involves bullying, than when a white man is cast).

    You’re definitely right about the other way being larger and worse still. But there’s also certainly vocal extremists on the other side of the aisle too. Like for instance I’ve seen complaints about movies like The Northman being “too white,” even though it is historically accurate in how it is.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,173
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Yes. lol. If I prefer a white teacher, that'd make me racist. If I prefer a white Sherlock Holmes, I'd be racist. If I preferred a white prime minister, I'd be racist.

    Yes, because the looks of these people are irrelevant, except, perhaps in the case of Sherlock. The looks of a prime minister are not, or should not be, relevant to the job. But we often have very specific desires vis-à-vis what movie characters look like. Just think about the "who could play Indiana Jones after Ford?" discussions! Some say Chris Pratt, and others immediately lash out because "he looks too this or too that". We are very sensitive about the looks of some characters. What goes in the bag is different for different people. Some don't really count skin colour as important, others do. It narrow down to aesthetic preferences. Nothing political, nothing Trumpian, nothing sociological... just an aesthetic preference that matters to some and doesn't to others. And we can have this discussion.

    But since this has nothing to do with racism, what @Creasy47 and I are asking is that we leave that word out of it. If we can't have this debate without it, we might as well abandon that debate right now.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2022 Posts: 16,368
    talos7 wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    "Simply because some prefer a white Bond, they are suddenly racist."

    Yes. lol. If I prefer a white teacher, that'd make me racist. If I prefer a white Sherlock Holmes, I'd be racist. If I preferred a white prime minister, I'd be racist. Same with James Bond buddy!

    Apples and oranges. Preferring a white teacher or Prime Minister is completely different than preferring that a fictional character remain an established ethnicity.

    I don’t want want extremely pale, freckled red headed American to be Bond; I guess that makes me a “gingerist” and , as an American, a self loathing xenophobe. Wait, is that possible? 🤔

    I almost think we’re being punked

    Well, I mean... why couldn't a redhead play him? I thought Damian Lewis seemed a decent shout for a while, I think he spoofed Bond-like roles in a couple of films (even ads) and made it work. Would it have been a problem?
    Being an American is obviously a different situation if he's got the accent: Bond is a British character and works for the UK Government so it just is part of the character which makes the story work.

    Presenting everything as being an equivalency doesn't really work: some of these criteria are important to how the character actually functions onscreen, and some aren't, or it isn't being explained how they are. If it's just personal taste, well... in what way is it more tasteful?
  • edited October 2022 Posts: 4,133
    Yeah, as hard as it for some to believe it's actually not that common to cast non-white actors in a big franchise lead roles that have traditionally been played by white actors. Dr. Who is kinda the exception but that's a bit different I guess...

    I mean, the next Bond film will no doubt have a more diverse cast anyway even with a white lead, but this has been the case during the latter half of the Craig era. If anything people on the internet would moan more if Sope Dirisu was cast.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    edited October 2022 Posts: 1,645
    It would be incredibly weird and silly if a giant contingent of Bond fans decided they didn't like a Bond actor for his hair... oh wait, that happened, it was incredibly silly, and we laugh at those people now.

    A lot of "inner child" and not so much "real world" in this thread.

    If any of you want James Bond to be white so he looks like you, just say that.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @mtm, no? He made that comment in regards to something I said, which he quoted verbatim. If that wasn't his intention, it certainly didn't come across as anything but to me.

    Yes, but you said it about how other people act, did you not? He then also spoke about other people, you then decided it was about you.

    You said "Wanting Bond to remain white is not at all racist" which, as you clarified, was not about your own thoughts because you don't share that opinion and have expressed how you wouldn't mind Disiru, but defending others.
    He said: "Anyone who feels this way is saying skin color would make them not like the character" the subject of which was also regarding these others you were defending.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    mtm wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    "Simply because some prefer a white Bond, they are suddenly racist."

    Yes. lol. If I prefer a white teacher, that'd make me racist. If I prefer a white Sherlock Holmes, I'd be racist. If I preferred a white prime minister, I'd be racist. Same with James Bond buddy!

    Apples and oranges. Preferring a white teacher or Prime Minister is completely different than preferring that a fictional character remain an established ethnicity.

    I don’t want want extremely pale, freckled red headed American to be Bond; I guess that makes me a “gingerist” and , as an American, a self loathing xenophobe. Wait, is that possible? 🤔

    I almost think we’re being punked

    Well, I mean... why couldn't a redhead play him? I thought Damian Lewis seemed a decent shout for a while, I think he spoofed Bond-like roles in a couple of films (even ads) and made it work. Would it have been a problem?
    Being an American is obviously a different situation if he's got the accent: Bond is a British character and works for the UK Government so it just is part of the character which makes the story work.

    Presenting everything as being an equivalency doesn't really work: some of these criteria are important to how the character actually functions onscreen, and some aren't, or it isn't being explained how they are. If it's just personal taste, well... in what way is it more tasteful?

    That’s my point; it my preference that a pale ginger not be cast as Bond, not that he couldn’t be cast.
    Preference does not equate to prejudice.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 1,645
    I don't think @Creasy47 or @DarthDimi are racist, fwiw. But I will challenge anyone who hesitates on Bond not being white, and take you at your word, and call it as I see it. Again, a thought, an act, a sentence can come across racist, which I'll then challenge or question.

    I want us all to be careful about how we talk about race, and I think some of you would find yourself in trouble saying some of these things in the wrong room. If you're still asking how "race" is different and a much more sensitive topic than something like hair color in 2022, I hope you're not in a leadership position at work.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2022 Posts: 16,368
    007HallY wrote: »
    Yeah, as hard as it for some to believe it's actually not that common to cast non-white actors in a big franchise lead roles that have traditionally been played by white actors.

    Regarding superheroes I did think it was actually a bit surprising that they didn't cast a black actor for Spider Man the last time, because Peter comes from one of the more diverse neighbourhoods in New York I understand, and a modern day Peter would be more likely to be non-white. And it doesn't even change the look of the character. They even made a nice little gag about it in the most recent film, with Electro being surprised he wasn't black! :)
    And Superman, well he is an immigrant so it might help the themes a bit more :D
  • Posts: 16,154
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I do think Purvis and Wade would probably make this change a plot point.
    You mean like a CODENAME?

    That or gene therapy. It's Purvis and Wade.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    talos7 wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    "Simply because some prefer a white Bond, they are suddenly racist."

    Yes. lol. If I prefer a white teacher, that'd make me racist. If I prefer a white Sherlock Holmes, I'd be racist. If I preferred a white prime minister, I'd be racist. Same with James Bond buddy!

    Apples and oranges. Preferring a white teacher or Prime Minister is completely different than preferring that a fictional character remain an established ethnicity.

    I don’t want want extremely pale, freckled red headed American to be Bond; I guess that makes me a “gingerist” and , as an American, a self loathing xenophobe. Wait, is that possible? 🤔

    I almost think we’re being punked

    Well, I mean... why couldn't a redhead play him? I thought Damian Lewis seemed a decent shout for a while, I think he spoofed Bond-like roles in a couple of films (even ads) and made it work. Would it have been a problem?
    Being an American is obviously a different situation if he's got the accent: Bond is a British character and works for the UK Government so it just is part of the character which makes the story work.

    Presenting everything as being an equivalency doesn't really work: some of these criteria are important to how the character actually functions onscreen, and some aren't, or it isn't being explained how they are. If it's just personal taste, well... in what way is it more tasteful?

    That’s my point; it my preference that a pale ginger not be cast as Bond, not that he couldn’t be cast.
    Preference does not equate to prejudice.

    But then... why do you prefer? I mean I look at Lewis a few years back and don't see an issue. Maybe if some people examined their preferences then we would see a few more hidden prejudices revealed and worked out of society.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,173
    talos7 wrote: »
    Preference does not equate to prejudice.

    That sums it up nicely.
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Casting a woman would not be the end of the world

    Come one, friend. Now you're just off your rocker. Can we at least retain something of common sense here?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    edited October 2022 Posts: 40,968
    mtm wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @mtm, no? He made that comment in regards to something I said, which he quoted verbatim. If that wasn't his intention, it certainly didn't come across as anything but to me.

    Yes, but you said it about how other people act, did you not? He then also spoke about other people, you then decided it was about you.

    You said "Wanting Bond to remain white is not at all racist" which, as you clarified, was not about your own thoughts because you don't share that opinion and have expressed how you wouldn't mind Disiru, but defending others.
    He said: "Anyone who feels this way is saying skin color would make them not like the character" the subject of which was also regarding these others you were defending.

    Considering I was quoted, I surmised it was in regards to me. His response was wonky in its execution then, but I certainly wasn't out to make it about me. He had an opportunity to explain it further and chose not to. If that was his true meaning, I'd be happy to know, but don't need more confusion sowed because you're trying to parse our words separately. He's an adult (I'd imagine), I'm sure he can explain it himself.
  • Posts: 12,466
    I think all of us have some level of subconscious “prejudice,” which is molded by society, but it’s a huge difference between being outright hateful or discriminatory.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,546
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  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    edited October 2022 Posts: 1,645
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    Preference does not equate to prejudice.

    That sums it up nicely.
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Casting a woman would not be the end of the world

    Come one, friend. Now you're just off your rocker. Can we at least retain something of common sense here?

    Common sense is thinking it will never happen, which I agree. Open-mindedness is being curious as to what could happen if it did. We have no power or control over Bond (except maybe Mr. White coming back, we talked about that for years before Spectre), it's always taking what we're given. In that context, I would still take what I was given and give it a shot.

    And preferences can be offensive when outspoken. Say what you feel, but don't be surprised when it upsets someone.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,546
    I knew when I woke up this morning and this thread had 80 new posts it was going to be a fun read.
  • edited October 2022 Posts: 4,133
    mtm wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    Yeah, as hard as it for some to believe it's actually not that common to cast non-white actors in a big franchise lead roles that have traditionally been played by white actors.

    Regarding superheroes I did think it was actually a bit surprising that they didn't cast a black actor for Spider Man the last time, because Peter comes from one of the more diverse neighbourhoods in New York I understand, and a modern day Peter would be more likely to be non-white. And it doesn't even change the look of the character. They even made a nice little gag about it in the most recent film, with Electro being surprised he wasn't black! :)
    And Superman, well he is an immigrant so it might help the themes a bit more :D

    I guess that was the logic in creating Miles Morales. Not a reader of comics but I know Superman has been recreated in a number of 'alternate universe' comics where they're not Clarke Kent but other characters taking the mantle who are bisexual etc. I'd be surprised if there wasn't a non-white incarnation. But yeah, like I said it's not that common to change the race of these big franchise lead characters. It's not always appropriate either depending on which one. I mean, you're never going to have a white Black Panther, and I suspect a black Batman in the new film version might not have necessarily worked either, considering it really leaned into the idea of Wayne's more privileged WASP-ish upbringing in comparison to those around him.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2022 Posts: 16,368
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    I mean, Bond's merely a character, so why can't an American play him so long as he nails the accent? It's funny how some are cool with his skin color changing like it makes zero difference
    mtm wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @mtm, no? He made that comment in regards to something I said, which he quoted verbatim. If that wasn't his intention, it certainly didn't come across as anything but to me.

    Yes, but you said it about how other people act, did you not? He then also spoke about other people, you then decided it was about you.

    You said "Wanting Bond to remain white is not at all racist" which, as you clarified, was not about your own thoughts because you don't share that opinion and have expressed how you wouldn't mind Disiru, but defending others.
    He said: "Anyone who feels this way is saying skin color would make them not like the character" the subject of which was also regarding these others you were defending.

    Considering I was quoted, I surmised it was in regards to me. His response was wonky in its execution then, but I certainly wasn't out to make it about me. He had an opportunity to explain it further and chose not to. If that was his true meaning, I'd be happy to know, but don't need more confusion sowed because you're trying to parse our words separately. He's an adult (I'd imagine), I'm sure he can explain it himself.

    He did literally clarify 'I said nothing about you directly. "Anyone who feels this way" '. I just read your reaction and it didn't make any sense to me, that's all. You were both talking about other people and then you decided it was a criticism of yourself, even though he said it wasn't.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    mtm wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    "Simply because some prefer a white Bond, they are suddenly racist."

    Yes. lol. If I prefer a white teacher, that'd make me racist. If I prefer a white Sherlock Holmes, I'd be racist. If I preferred a white prime minister, I'd be racist. Same with James Bond buddy!

    Apples and oranges. Preferring a white teacher or Prime Minister is completely different than preferring that a fictional character remain an established ethnicity.

    I don’t want want extremely pale, freckled red headed American to be Bond; I guess that makes me a “gingerist” and , as an American, a self loathing xenophobe. Wait, is that possible? 🤔

    I almost think we’re being punked

    Well, I mean... why couldn't a redhead play him? I thought Damian Lewis seemed a decent shout for a while, I think he spoofed Bond-like roles in a couple of films (even ads) and made it work. Would it have been a problem?
    Being an American is obviously a different situation if he's got the accent: Bond is a British character and works for the UK Government so it just is part of the character which makes the story work.

    Presenting everything as being an equivalency doesn't really work: some of these criteria are important to how the character actually functions onscreen, and some aren't, or it isn't being explained how they are. If it's just personal taste, well... in what way is it more tasteful?

    That’s my point; it my preference that a pale ginger not be cast as Bond, not that he couldn’t be cast.
    Preference does not equate to prejudice.

    But then... why do you prefer? I mean I look at Lewis a few years back and don't see an issue. Maybe if some people examined their preferences then we would see a few more hidden prejudices revealed and worked out of society.

    Well are there foods that you like and dislike?
    We all have preferences ,
  • Posts: 16,154
    Thinking of the obesity example some posts back, would we rule out an actor, say with a physique like John Goodman's in THE BIG LEBOWSKI as Bond? And would that make us predjudiced?
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