Sir Idris Elba has said James Bond should not be made “woke” and that some global markets would not accept a black actor as 007, while confirming he was never in the running for the role, according to reporting by bbc.com.
Speaking to GQ, the British actor said he was flattered by years of rumours linking him to James Bond but stressed the character “was written how he was written for a reason”. “Bond is big all over the world. And won’t go for a black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period,” he said.
He added that Bond is “unrealistic” and should remain “pure” as escapism. “Don’t try to make it woke. Don’t try to answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond,” he said.
The comments come as the search for Daniel Craig’s successor officially began last month, five years after No Time To Die was released. Auditions have been taking place in recent weeks, Hollywood outlet Variety reported. Amazon said it does not plan to comment on casting details but will “share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right”.
The next Bond film will be directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve and written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Casting director Nina Gold, whose credits include Paddington, Star Wars and Jurassic Park, is leading the search for a new lead actor. Rumoured contenders include Callum Turner, Henry Cavill and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Sir Idris is best known for roles in The Wire and Luther and was knighted in the 2025 New Year Honours. He currently stars as Man-at-Arms in the film Masters of the Universe, a 1980s cartoon character with a ginger moustache. Addressing recasting, he joked: “Man-At-Arms could be any colour. He’s got green legs, for God’s sake.”
