God, no. We should have less well known actors in these support roles. Springing in Oscar winners is a headline catcher and deflects from the main cast.
To qualify it a little, I think M can be played by a movie star. The latest M is certainly a star. The rest of the regulars should be cast with lesser known actors, even though I'm gulity of suggesting famous people in these roles.
Kidman is way too big of a star and would also probably be too expensive.
I'd go with Blanchett. I think she's much more of a chameleon and could easily inhabit the role of M both looks wise and personality wise.
Blanchett could also do a great Bond villain.
I would also put out Gillian Anderson as a very good option if they want to go the female route for M. American born but raised in London and the USA. If she has the Brit cred/pedigree to play Maggie Thatcher, she certainly can play M.
Ideally unknowns so we can keep M, Q and Moneypenny back at the office as much as possible. Their constant presence throughout the Craig era was sorely off-putting for me.
In my opinion the actors playing M and the villain can be stars in the first movie for a new Bond actor. The title song artist and maybe the director can also be big names, but ideally not the others.
I agree. You don't want your new Bond to be overshadowed by a big name. However that being said, I think you still need very good actors in those roles. If you go big name for M, you go older.
I've just started watching the excellent TV series "Gentleman Jack", starring Suranne Jones. i've also seen her in the TV series Vigil. Especially in Genteleman Jack she conways inteligence, natural authority and and a knack for understated comedy. I think she should be considered for M and possibly Miss Moneypenny: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1013087/
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,912Chief of Staff
Another actress who would make a good Moneypenny is Rosamund Pike (45), especially if Moneypenny is the leader of the 00-section. She was the best actor in one of the least good Bond movies doesn't hurt her chances in my opinion, I just want her to get another chance.
As I wrote above it would work if Moneypenny is the leader of the 00-section. The M-Moneypenny dynamic would be more like the Minister of Defense-M dynamic in the classic movies and Moneypenny would be a big role for a star.
So M actually is the head of SIS and a bit less of a hands-on direct boss with Bond? Yeah I like that.
I have thought that it feels a bit wrong that the director of SIS, a very senior position, would be briefing a field officer directly all the time- it's kind of like the commissioner of police having meetings with individual Detective Inspectors all the time and telling them who to go and catch: he should have bigger fish to fry. So either make M just the boss of the 00s or, as you say, have someone in between. Yeah I like it.
Absolutely. M handles contact with the PM, MoD and the broader picture etc. He may decide who gets assassinated, but Moneypenny handles the briefing and everything the agent needs to do the job.
Not only does it make more sense than having M travel around the world to chat with individual agents, we also get a meaty leadership role for a woman without changing the genders of the characters. Bond would be confident/arrogant enough to flirt with her even though she's the head of the section! This is updating the series without changing male characters to female.
In my opinion this setup doesn't have to mean more politics and Whitehall scenes than we had in the past. It would give M more weight the few times it happens. A movie like CR may not need M in more than one scene or not at all. Skyfall on the other hand would require a division of labour between M and Moneypenny since the London powergames is part of the plot.
I think both a female M and Miss Moneypenny as head of the 00-section will be too much. In my opinion they have to chose one of the two. The candidates you suggest are good, though.
That's true. It's always about finding the right balance of tradition/Fleming on one side and the modern on the other, and it's hard to get right. I suspect many in the current audience finds a female secretary sitting outside the boss' office hoping the man she's "secretly" in love with (Bond) will turn up is a very modern, relatable or aspirational character. I love those scenes in the old movies, but I'm not sure that's the way forward. Some have suggested other ways to utdate the role of women in Bond movies. Making Bond a woman is a terrible idea. So is Bond not being a womanizer anymore. Making M a woman has been done. Changing the gender of other central characters will only feel like more of the same after Judi Dench's M.
Bond movies must change, it’s a matter of what and how. Making Moneypenny the leader of the 00-section seems like a good and sensible solution to me, but I completely understand and respect people who'd like her to remain M's secretary.
Comments
That would work, but I prefer character actors best known as leads in the theatre. These actresses are very well known for other roles to most people.
God, no. We should have less well known actors in these support roles. Springing in Oscar winners is a headline catcher and deflects from the main cast.
To qualify it a little, I think M can be played by a movie star. The latest M is certainly a star. The rest of the regulars should be cast with lesser known actors, even though I'm gulity of suggesting famous people in these roles.
Theatre is a good shout - lots of superb actors without breakout profile that would enrich roles without pulling focus.
Kidman is way too big of a star and would also probably be too expensive.
I'd go with Blanchett. I think she's much more of a chameleon and could easily inhabit the role of M both looks wise and personality wise.
Blanchett could also do a great Bond villain.
I would also put out Gillian Anderson as a very good option if they want to go the female route for M. American born but raised in London and the USA. If she has the Brit cred/pedigree to play Maggie Thatcher, she certainly can play M.
Ideally unknowns so we can keep M, Q and Moneypenny back at the office as much as possible. Their constant presence throughout the Craig era was sorely off-putting for me.
In my opinion the actors playing M and the villain can be stars in the first movie for a new Bond actor. The title song artist and maybe the director can also be big names, but ideally not the others.
I agree. You don't want your new Bond to be overshadowed by a big name. However that being said, I think you still need very good actors in those roles. If you go big name for M, you go older.
I recently watched White Noise and thought Jodie Turner Smith made a great impression. She'd make a good Moneypenny or even Q
M: Kate Beckinsdale for a female
Charles Dance for a male
Moneypenny: Anya Taylor-Joy
Q: it really doesn’t matter since Bond ditched gadgets
Has Bond ditched gadgets? There were gadgets in Craigs movies and as far as i know there is no indication the next Bond won't have gadgets.
I've just started watching the excellent TV series "Gentleman Jack", starring Suranne Jones. i've also seen her in the TV series Vigil. Especially in Genteleman Jack she conways inteligence, natural authority and and a knack for understated comedy. I think she should be considered for M and possibly Miss Moneypenny: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1013087/
So you didn’t see her in Coronation Street then? 👀
We don't have Coronation Street here.
Kate Winslet as M? She's 48 now and a very established character actor.
Or perhaps Sam Neill? At 76 he's getting on a bit, but after a female M and a middle aged M it may be time for an elderly male M.
I'll throw out a name that's been thrown out before. How about Huge Laurie?
I think Laurie is a strong candidate.
Another actress who would make a good Moneypenny is Rosamund Pike (45), especially if Moneypenny is the leader of the 00-section. She was the best actor in one of the least good Bond movies doesn't hurt her chances in my opinion, I just want her to get another chance.
I think she'd make a better M to be honest, Moneypenny isn't a big enough role for her.
I do tend to think if only she'd been able to be saved for the next film she'd have been an amazing Vesper.
As I wrote above it would work if Moneypenny is the leader of the 00-section. The M-Moneypenny dynamic would be more like the Minister of Defense-M dynamic in the classic movies and Moneypenny would be a big role for a star.
So M actually is the head of SIS and a bit less of a hands-on direct boss with Bond? Yeah I like that.
I have thought that it feels a bit wrong that the director of SIS, a very senior position, would be briefing a field officer directly all the time- it's kind of like the commissioner of police having meetings with individual Detective Inspectors all the time and telling them who to go and catch: he should have bigger fish to fry. So either make M just the boss of the 00s or, as you say, have someone in between. Yeah I like it.
Absolutely. M handles contact with the PM, MoD and the broader picture etc. He may decide who gets assassinated, but Moneypenny handles the briefing and everything the agent needs to do the job.
Not only does it make more sense than having M travel around the world to chat with individual agents, we also get a meaty leadership role for a woman without changing the genders of the characters. Bond would be confident/arrogant enough to flirt with her even though she's the head of the section! This is updating the series without changing male characters to female.
In my opinion this setup doesn't have to mean more politics and Whitehall scenes than we had in the past. It would give M more weight the few times it happens. A movie like CR may not need M in more than one scene or not at all. Skyfall on the other hand would require a division of labour between M and Moneypenny since the London powergames is part of the plot.
Yeah i like the way it would make M more important and grand. When he appears you know it's getting serious.
Really Freddie Gray turned up a bit too often; you'd think he'd have better things to do than hang around M's office all day! 😁
I still think if they go for a female M again then Emma Thompson, Oliva Coleman, Gillian Anderson or Suranne Jones would be decent candidates.
I think both a female M and Miss Moneypenny as head of the 00-section will be too much. In my opinion they have to chose one of the two. The candidates you suggest are good, though.
Moneypenny is a secretary. I don't think we should make Q the Prime Minister either.
That's true. It's always about finding the right balance of tradition/Fleming on one side and the modern on the other, and it's hard to get right. I suspect many in the current audience finds a female secretary sitting outside the boss' office hoping the man she's "secretly" in love with (Bond) will turn up is a very modern, relatable or aspirational character. I love those scenes in the old movies, but I'm not sure that's the way forward. Some have suggested other ways to utdate the role of women in Bond movies. Making Bond a woman is a terrible idea. So is Bond not being a womanizer anymore. Making M a woman has been done. Changing the gender of other central characters will only feel like more of the same after Judi Dench's M.
Bond movies must change, it’s a matter of what and how. Making Moneypenny the leader of the 00-section seems like a good and sensible solution to me, but I completely understand and respect people who'd like her to remain M's secretary.
Bring back John Cleese as Q