Idris Elba, the celebrated British actor, has revealed his past aspiration to portray the legendary character of James Bond, the beloved protagonist of the iconic British fictional franchise.
However, Elba disclosed that the issue of racism subsequently emerged, influencing his perspective on the matter.
In a recent guest appearance on the Smartless podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, the 50-year-old actor candidly discussed his thoughts on the subject.
Elba admitted that the swirling rumors about his possible casting as James Bond had filled him with great excitement and anticipation.
Reflecting on the situation, Elba said, “The truth is, I was super complimented for a long time about this [playing the James Bond role]. I was like, ‘This is crazy! James Bond?’
“We are all actors and we understand that role. It’s one of those coveted roles. Being asked to be James Bond was like, ‘Okay, you’ve sort of reached the pinnacle.’ That is one of those things the whole world has a vote in.
“It was a huge compliment that every corner of the world, except for some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered. Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting because it became about race.”
