Although Idris Elba has acting jobs lined up from the upcoming Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw action flick to a Suicide Squad sequel, the British thespian is beginning to address rumors on being the next James Bond. While nothing is set in stone, Elba shared he would absolutely sign on to play the longstanding character, but he’s hesitant due to some of the public’s outcry.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, the box office star said it was disappointing to receive the backlash due to his race. “You just get disheartened when you get people from a generational point of view going, ‘It can’t be.’ And it really turns out to be the color of my skin,” he said. “And then if I get it and it didn’t work, or it did work, would it be because of the color of my skin? That’s a difficult position to put myself into when I don’t need to.”
The Wire actor continued to state that while Bond is “a hugely coveted” cinematic mainstay, he’s never given it major thought but would be more than willing to take on the role if asked. In a Hollywood Reporter poll, 63 percent of Americans want to see Elba take on the job, which helped to fuel the rumors. The franchise is headed into its 25th installment (slated for release in 2020) with actor Daniel Craig returning to the silver screen as Bond.
As the Internet chatted about Elba’s possible casting, comedian Trevor Noah previously highlighted how momentous it would be for Elba to be the first black Bond during one of his stand-up specials.