The internet has, as of late, been burning with desires for Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page to star as the next James Bond—and thanks to a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, we now know what Page himself thinks of the matter.
According to Elle, Page, who plays the dashing and smashingly (pun intended) sexy Duke of Hastings on the Shondaland produced series spoke to Fallon on Friday night, where he addressed the internet rumblings.
“I think the internet thinks a lot of things, and that’s one of the more pleasant ones,” Page said with a smile. “So I can please, as far as that goes...I think there might be an element of cultural translation to be done here. Like if you’re a Brit, and you do something of any kind of renown that people regard well, then people start saying the ‘B’ word. It’s like a merit badge, like the ‘B’ word merit badge.” But, he added: “I don’t think it’s more than that.” Womp. Say it ain’t so.
While we may not be seeing him don a Bond-esque suit and tie any time soon, fans can take solace in the fact that they can still see more of Page on their screens in the meantime. In addition to Netflix’s Bridgerton, the UK native can also be seen in Amazon Prime’s Sylvie’s Love, starring Nnamdi Asomugha and Tessa Thompson. Page, who first made waves as the slick-talking Chicken George in the 2016 miniseries Roots, spoke to Esquire back in December on his intentionality and the importance of taking on roles that center Black joy and love, especially when it comes to period pieces.
“I think it’s immensely important for people to be able to see themselves at their highest elevation. To see that you are worthy of love, romance, glamour, and status. Everyone is worthy of all of those things, and it’s our job in the creative industries to create an environment that reflects it. Everyone is worthy of finding love and enjoying escapist fantasies of a life of dancing, romance, and ambition.”
He added, “It’s perfectly possible to spotlight Black joy over Black suffering. Setting the story in the past doesn’t mean that Black folks do nothing but suffer. We’ve always lived and laughed and loved and married and danced and lived the truest expressions of our lives through societal restrictions, just the same as everyone else.”From Bridgerton to Bond? Rege Jean Page Addresses Internet Rumors of Him Becoming the Next James Bond
Well said, your Grace, well said.