Idris Elba Says the Bond Rumors Were ‘Never Legit’

The great search for the next Bond, James Bond, is still underway, and one formerly rumored star is sharing his take. Idris Elba revealed today that the rumo(u)rs that he was going to be the next James Bond were “never legit.” “I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing,” he told British GQ. “James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it.” The whispers about Elba being a potential Bond began all the way back in 2008, when Daniel Craig said that Barack Obama’s recent election could herald a Black Bond. “I think the role could easily be played by a Black actor, because the character created by Ian Fleming in the ’50s has undergone a great deal of evolution and continues to be updated,” the Bond actor said at the time.

Elba doesn’t think that was ever a real potential. “In realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that,” he said. “Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a Black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period.” On the other hand, that doesn’t mean he even believes there should be a Black Bond. “Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let’s not try and make it woke,” Elba explained. “I think you’ve got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don’t try and answer the world’s taste. Just be Bond.” Everyone seems to have a lot of opinions on who should play Bond … except the people who are supposed to be hiring him.