Yep, it’s almost 2015 and we still have people complaining about black Stormtroopers and the idea of a black James Bond. If you haven’t heard the bluster by now, apparently in some of those hacked Sony emails, studio brass suggested that British actor Idris Elba would make a great next James Bond (it’s believed that Daniel Craig will give up the mantle soon).
It’s a great idea. Elba is English (obviously a prerequisite of the character), dapper, handsome and built like an elk: the actor could easily play the part. But as soon as the news hit there was negative feedback in some corners of the Internet.
Political pundit, apparent huge James Bond fan and bigot Rush Limbaugh was one of the most vocal naysayers. “James Bond is a total concept put together by Ian Fleming. He was white and Scottish. Period. That is who James Bond is, was,” the blowhard said, in comments captured by Media Matters. “But now [they are] suggesting that the next James Bond should be Idris Elba, a black Briton, rather than a white from Scotland. But that’s not who James Bond is and I know it’s racist to probably point this out.”
Yep, indeed it is! Rumors of Elba as Bond surfaced as early as 2011 and he responded at the time in an interview with NPR. "I just don’t want to be the black James Bond," the actor explained. "Sean Connery wasn’t [just] the Scottish James Bond, and Daniel Craig wasn’t [just] the blue-eyed James Bond, so if I played him, I don’t want to be called the black James Bond."
To the haters, Elba responded more recently on Twitter in comical and self-deprecating fashion. See below.
Meanwhile, the 24th James Bond film “Spectre” directed by Sam Mendes is shooting now and will be due in theaters on November 6, 2015. Maybe backwards thinking will have changed by then.
Isn’t 007 supposed to handsome? Glad you think I’ve got a shot! Happy New year people. pic.twitter.com/3g9lAl2Uo3
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) December 27, 2014
