Of course that is not how the character was written and presented in the novels, but we are talking about the cinematic Bond here. Is his Scottish/Swiss background really that crucial to the character we see in the movies?
That's the bit that I have a problem with. They should not be separate characters at all, but one and the same. If Bond is not black in the novels, then the cinematic Bond cannot be black, period. His Scottish/Swiss background is very much a part of who he is.
I'm not sure I agree with that either. He was orphaned at a young age, and was then educated at Eton, which no doubt is a very ... "proper" English school. When Vivienne Michel first heard him speak, she thought he was English. I think it's fair to say that Bond's accent should be dominantly English, albeit not completely due to his Scottish heritage.
Only briefly at Eton, before going to Fettes. I covered that in post 153. And a Canadian wouldn't necessarily be able to tell UK accents with accuracy.
Idris Elba responds on Twitter to the speculation following a leaked e-mail (as part of the Sony hack) in which Sony executive Amy Pascal stated that he should be the next James Bond.
Idris Elba responds on Twitter to the speculation following a leaked e-mail (as part of the Sony hack) in which Sony executive Amy Pascal stated that he should be the next James Bond.
As a fan of Star Trek, I would welcome the homogenization of Humanity in the hopes it would encourage whirled peas.
As a fan of Star Trek, I would point out that every member of the 2009 reboot cast looks as much like their 1960s TV counterpart as is humanly possible.
With the amount of attention paid to Bond's backstory in Skyfall, it would take an even more thorough reboot than we saw in Casino Royale to re-introduce the character as anything but a WASP male.
There are other "franchise" characters that I think could be played by actors of different ethnicities - imagine a Latina Sarah Connor, a Black Ellen Ripley or an Asian Neo.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I can only hope that Eon still dictates who is cast...and not a Sony suit. That is all. -{
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'll throw my (unsolicited) hat into the conversation ...
A black Bond actor would be a big deal only because James Bond is a big deal, a very big deal as confirmed by the mammoth money Skyfall made.
It's why Daniel Craig was a such a huge deal when he was first chosen. Craig really has no business in being in the same (looks) company as Connery, Brosnan and Dalton, etc. He's been compared to Putin for heaven's sake. I love Craig don't get me wrong, but the choosing of Craig for Bond pretty much blew up the 'conventional' look of Bond already. The box set with all the Bonds lined up shows Craig sticking out like such a sore thumb for this reason. I hate it that I can't stop myself from giggling every time I see the box for this reason. He just doesn't belong on that line up...you've got to see the films to justify his inclusion.
So...Idris Elba has incredible charisma, same as Craig (looks be damned). I feel that it will happen, and if it does, my FIRST choice is Elba, by far. -{
I don't think it would be bad at all. I do imagine the character as a white, slim, average height man with dark hair, but remember, it's a fictional character that has survived for more than 50 years onscreen. Shaking things up and changing the formula a bit has always been one of the key elements of keeping the Bond franchise alive. I feel like it would be a good attention grabber, though, for both the media and definitely a wake up for fans. I say yes it can be done, but it shouldn't be done for the sake of being done. It should only be if he is truly one of the right men for the job. Collin Salmon is an actor I've always thought would be absolutely perfect as Bond ever since the question was brought up. After seeing him in TND, TWINE, and DAD I always wished he had more to do. I think he's a little too old now for the role, but if he stepped in after Brosnan, I think he'd be great as Bond! I can see in CR and Skyfall (QoS seems a bit too "dirty" for him, not enough class).
Everyone (including himself) has said Idris Elba should be Bond. I've never seen him in a movie, but after all the attention he got as a black Bond contender, I looked at a few clips of movies he's in, and I think he'd be great as Bond. A Sony Pictures rep. also said Elba is who they have their eyes on for the next Bond, but I hope they look at more than just him, as I think there's plenty of other unknowns out there that'd be better than him in the role. If you look at all of the actors besides Moore and Brosnan, they weren't really very popular prior to playing Bond. Sean was unknown, George wasn't even an actor, Timmy was known for theater more than film, and Danny was far from a huge name, and they had Bond to add to their popularity. Even George, who wasn't an actor, got some work throughout the years because of OHMSS.
I'd personally like the producers to go for another unknown. If you ask me, it's brought us some great actors. Elba would bring in tons of money, which is a good thing that's needed for the franchise, but I don't think he should be chosen just because he's black ,but because he can play Bond. If they keep the character's personality, all of the exotic locations, action, and memorable villains and allies, a black James Bond is fine.
I noticed that if they get a black actor for the next Bond film, they'd have to do another reboot haha. You can't have a character of another race go in and play the exact same character in a series (Craig isn't the same exact character that Sean-Brosnan had played). I'd still love to see Idris play Bond, but they'll have to start another series seperate from Craig's Bond canon. If that's the case, I hope they keep Raplh Feinnes as M, Ben Wishaw as Q, and Naomi Harris as Moneypenny.
I don't think it would be bad at all. I do imagine the character as a white, slim, average height man with dark hair, but remember, it's a fictional character that has survived for more than 50 years onscreen. Shaking things up and changing the formula a bit has always been one of the key elements of keeping the Bond franchise alive. I feel like it would be a good attention grabber, though, for both the media and definitely a wake up for fans. I say yes it can be done, but it shouldn't be done for the sake of being done. It should only be if he is truly one of the right men for the job. Collin Salmon is an actor I've always thought would be absolutely perfect as Bond ever since the question was brought up. After seeing him in TND, TWINE, and DAD I always wished he had more to do. I think he's a little too old now for the role, but if he stepped in after Brosnan, I think he'd be great as Bond! I can see in CR and Skyfall (QoS seems a bit too "dirty" for him, not enough class).
Everyone (including himself) has said Idris Elba should be Bond. I've never seen him in a movie, but after all the attention he got as a black Bond contender, I looked at a few clips of movies he's in, and I think he'd be great as Bond. A Sony Pictures rep. also said Elba is who they have their eyes on for the next Bond, but I hope they look at more than just him, as I think there's plenty of other unknowns out there that'd be better than him in the role. If you look at all of the actors besides Moore and Brosnan, they weren't really very popular prior to playing Bond. Sean was unknown, George wasn't even an actor, Timmy was known for theater more than film, and Danny was far from a huge name, and they had Bond to add to their popularity. Even George, who wasn't an actor, got some work throughout the years because of OHMSS.
I'd personally like the producers to go for another unknown. If you ask me, it's brought us some great actors. Elba would bring in tons of money, which is a good thing that's needed for the franchise, but I don't think he should be chosen just because he's black ,but because he can play Bond. If they keep the character's personality, all of the exotic locations, action, and memorable villains and allies, a black James Bond is fine.
I don't think it would be bad at all. I do imagine the character as a white, slim, average height man with dark hair, but remember, it's a fictional character that has survived for more than 50 years onscreen. Shaking things up and changing the formula a bit has always been one of the key elements of keeping the Bond franchise alive. I feel like it would be a good attention grabber, though, for both the media and definitely a wake up for fans. I say yes it can be done, but it shouldn't be done for the sake of being done. It should only be if he is truly one of the right men for the job. Collin Salmon is an actor I've always thought would be absolutely perfect as Bond ever since the question was brought up. After seeing him in TND, TWINE, and DAD I always wished he had more to do. I think he's a little too old now for the role, but if he stepped in after Brosnan, I think he'd be great as Bond! I can see in CR and Skyfall (QoS seems a bit too "dirty" for him, not enough class).
Everyone (including himself) has said Idris Elba should be Bond. I've never seen him in a movie, but after all the attention he got as a black Bond contender, I looked at a few clips of movies he's in, and I think he'd be great as Bond. A Sony Pictures rep. also said Elba is who they have their eyes on for the next Bond, but I hope they look at more than just him, as I think there's plenty of other unknowns out there that'd be better than him in the role. If you look at all of the actors besides Moore and Brosnan, they weren't really very popular prior to playing Bond. Sean was unknown, George wasn't even an actor, Timmy was known for theater more than film, and Danny was far from a huge name, and they had Bond to add to their popularity. Even George, who wasn't an actor, got some work throughout the years because of OHMSS.
I'd personally like the producers to go for another unknown. If you ask me, it's brought us some great actors. Elba would bring in tons of money, which is a good thing that's needed for the franchise, but I don't think he should be chosen just because he's black ,but because he can play Bond. If they keep the character's personality, all of the exotic locations, action, and memorable villains and allies, a black James Bond is fine.
Nice post! -{
Thank you! This topic has been getting some attention ever since Rush Limbaugh spoke his mind about it, which I believe is more for attention than a real opinion.
Ian Fleming would do somersaults in his grave if this were true. The basics for Bond are upper class white Englishman. They can get around accent and hair colour....but race and age.
1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
Comments
Elba is a good actor but he's black. He would not be a good fit for the James Bond title character.
Done.
It's not a subject to be dismissed casually.
That's the bit that I have a problem with. They should not be separate characters at all, but one and the same. If Bond is not black in the novels, then the cinematic Bond cannot be black, period. His Scottish/Swiss background is very much a part of who he is.
I'm not sure I agree with that either. He was orphaned at a young age, and was then educated at Eton, which no doubt is a very ... "proper" English school. When Vivienne Michel first heard him speak, she thought he was English. I think it's fair to say that Bond's accent should be dominantly English, albeit not completely due to his Scottish heritage.
For Bond as he even had a Scottish accent !
https://twitter.com/idriselba/status/548874165399601152/photo/1
Glad to see he's got a sense of humour!
I really don't see Idris becoming Bond though. He'll be too old by the Time Craig finishes up.
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Marbella via the Bahamas, I think.
As a fan of Star Trek, I would point out that every member of the 2009 reboot cast looks as much like their 1960s TV counterpart as is humanly possible.
With the amount of attention paid to Bond's backstory in Skyfall, it would take an even more thorough reboot than we saw in Casino Royale to re-introduce the character as anything but a WASP male.
There are other "franchise" characters that I think could be played by actors of different ethnicities - imagine a Latina Sarah Connor, a Black Ellen Ripley or an Asian Neo.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Thank you. -{
( I promised to call you in the morning )
Not because he's black but because he's too old...I'm ageist
A black Bond actor would be a big deal only because James Bond is a big deal, a very big deal as confirmed by the mammoth money Skyfall made.
It's why Daniel Craig was a such a huge deal when he was first chosen. Craig really has no business in being in the same (looks) company as Connery, Brosnan and Dalton, etc. He's been compared to Putin for heaven's sake. I love Craig don't get me wrong, but the choosing of Craig for Bond pretty much blew up the 'conventional' look of Bond already. The box set with all the Bonds lined up shows Craig sticking out like such a sore thumb for this reason. I hate it that I can't stop myself from giggling every time I see the box for this reason. He just doesn't belong on that line up...you've got to see the films to justify his inclusion.
So...Idris Elba has incredible charisma, same as Craig (looks be damned). I feel that it will happen, and if it does, my FIRST choice is Elba, by far. -{
Everyone (including himself) has said Idris Elba should be Bond. I've never seen him in a movie, but after all the attention he got as a black Bond contender, I looked at a few clips of movies he's in, and I think he'd be great as Bond. A Sony Pictures rep. also said Elba is who they have their eyes on for the next Bond, but I hope they look at more than just him, as I think there's plenty of other unknowns out there that'd be better than him in the role. If you look at all of the actors besides Moore and Brosnan, they weren't really very popular prior to playing Bond. Sean was unknown, George wasn't even an actor, Timmy was known for theater more than film, and Danny was far from a huge name, and they had Bond to add to their popularity. Even George, who wasn't an actor, got some work throughout the years because of OHMSS.
I'd personally like the producers to go for another unknown. If you ask me, it's brought us some great actors. Elba would bring in tons of money, which is a good thing that's needed for the franchise, but I don't think he should be chosen just because he's black ,but because he can play Bond. If they keep the character's personality, all of the exotic locations, action, and memorable villains and allies, a black James Bond is fine.
They asked me after Connery quit the first time, but I turned them down because believe it or not I was TOO YOUNG!
Nice post! -{
Thank you! This topic has been getting some attention ever since Rush Limbaugh spoke his mind about it, which I believe is more for attention than a real opinion.