There was a time when everyone’s top choice to play the next James Bond was Idris Elba. When Daniel Craig announced No Time to Die would be his last go-round as 007, he seemed like the most logical choice to be the next Bond. He was asked about it in nearly every interview, going back and forth between yes and no, fraying our nerves and driving us crazy. Unfortunately, for Bond fans who really want to see the Hijack star become the world’s most famous spy, Elba has moved on from the role. Back in September, during an appearance on the HBO show The Shop, when asked about the rumors, he replied, “It is not a goal for my career. I don’t think that playing Bond will satisfy some of my personal goals.”
Turns out, this isn’t the whole story. While appearing on the Smartless podcast, the Beast actor expanded on his feelings about being considered for the famous character and why he ultimately decided to let it go.
“The truth is, I was super complimented for a long time about this,” Elba said. “I was like, ‘This is crazy!’ James Bond…We’re all actors and we understand that role. It’s one of those coveted [roles]. Being asked to be James Bond was like, ‘Ok, you’ve sort of reached the pinnacle’. That’s one of those things the whole world has a vote in.”
Like most good things in this world, our chance to see Elba fighting off bad guys while wearing an impeccable tux was spoiled by a few bad apples. The actor/musician says his feelings on Bond changed when racists made the conversation “disgusting,” which turned him off of the entire process.
“Essentially, it was a huge compliment that every corner of the world except from some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered,” he said. “Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting because it became about race. It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it.”
While it seems like the whole James Bond franchise is currently up in the air, if rumors are to be believed, Idris may have missed his moment. At the end of 2022, reports circulated that producers were looking to go younger for their next 007. The role is very action heavy and they want someone long-term who can handle the physical rigors of the part.