Idris Elba Opens Up About Past Interest in James Bond Role Amid Racism Concerns

In a recent episode of the Smartless podcast, acclaimed British actor Idris Elba spoke candidly about his past interest in portraying the iconic character of James Bond.

However, he revealed that the issue of racism eventually became a significant factor in his perspective on the matter.

During his appearance on the podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, the 50-year-old actor reflected on the excitement generated by rumors of his possible casting as the next James Bond.

The prospect of taking on such an iconic role had been thrilling for Elba.

However, Elba also acknowledged the challenges posed by the prevailing issue of racism within the film industry.

While he did not delve into specific instances, his comments indicated that racial biases may have influenced the decision-making process surrounding the casting of the James Bond character.

Reflecting on the situation, Elba said, “The truth is, I was super complemented for a long time about this [playing the James Bond role]. I was like, ‘This is crazy! James Bond?’

“We are all actors and we understand that role. It’s one of those coveted roles. Being asked to be James Bond was like, ‘Okay, you’ve sort of reached the pinnacle.’ That is one of those things the whole world has a vote in.

“It was a huge compliment that every corner of the world, except for some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered. Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting because it became about race.”