Helen Mirren has weighed in on the casting for the next James Bond, suggesting it “has to be a guy” despite her being “such a feminist”.
Speculation is rife over who the next Bond will be, notably as activity has recently ramped up following Amazon taking over creative control of the franchise, with Denis Villeneuve and Steven Knight confirmed as director and writer, respectively.
Mirren is appearing in new Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club alongside former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan, in which she plays a former spy who helps to investigate a murder alongside a group of fellow retirees.
Comparing her character to 007, Mirren told Saga that her role of Elizabeth is “more realistic” but “not so much fun as Bond”.
She then added: “I’m such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy. You can’t have a woman. It just doesn’t work. James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else.”
Brosnan also suggested that a man should succeed Daniel Craig in the role, saying: “I wish them well. I’m so excited to see the next man come on the stage and to see a whole new exuberance and life for this character.”
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Mirren has previously spoken out against Bond, admitting earlier this year to The Standard: “The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond. The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism”.
She added that she would prefer to see “real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world”.
Brosnan, who also starred with Mirren in MobLand, later shared “a certain agreement” with his fellow actor.
The idea of a female Bond has been much discussed, and last year it was revealed that the idea of 007 being a woman was pitched before the first film, Dr. No, was released. Former Bond girl Gemma Arterton also suggested last year that “people would find it too outrageous” to cast a female version of the spy.
As speculation mounts over who will be the next Bond, it was recently reported that unknown actor Scott Rose-Marsh had tested for the role.
It has also been claimed that Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi and Tom Holland were being eyed for the part by Amazon – with the latter recently addressing the rumours by saying it is “the pinnacle of working in our industry”.
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