Idris Elba Shares He Lost Interest in Playing James Bond When 'It Became About Race'
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Idris Elba is finally opening up about why he no longer has the desire to play the famed character of James Bond.
It has long been rumored that the English actor would potentially step into the role in a future installment of the 007 action film franchise, but now, Elba is letting it be known exactly why he's no longer interested in the possibility of being cast.
On a recent episode of Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes' podcast, SmartLess—which will release to the public for free on July 3—he candidly spoke on the matter, revealing he was put off by the gig when "it became about race."
The 50-year-old actor further admitted he was initially "super complimented" after getting wind of rumors that he could step into Bond's shoes, noting that "being asked to be James Bond was like, 'Okay, you've sort of reached the pinnacle."
“We’re all actors, and we understand that that role is one of those sort of coveted types. It’s like being named Sexiest Man [Alive]," he said, referring to the PEOPLE title, which he was awarded back in 2018.
He continued, giving deeper insight into what turned him off from the whole concept. "Essentially, 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," the DJ-turned-movie star added. "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."
The fictional character of 007 was first created by British novelist Ian Fleming in 1953, and has previously been portrayed by a slew of Hollywood notables, including Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan.
Elba's name entered the mix many years ago, when Sony Pictures executive Amy Pascal revealed in a leaked 2014 email that she felt "Idris should be the next Bond."
However, the actor cleared up speculation earlier this year, divulging he was "nowhere" near actually being cast for the role.
Related: Idris Elba Finally Lays James Bond Casting Rumors to Rest
"I love the Bond franchise; I'm very close to the producers," he told The Guardian in March. "We were all kind of laughing about the rumors because they are just that."
Elba continued: "I can't speak for [the producers], but from my perspective, there's never been any sort of truth to any of it. It's a compliment, and it's an honor — but it's not a truth."
Bond was last played by Daniel Craig in 2021's No Time To Die, but as for his successor, the jury is still out! Last year, Barbara Broccoli, one of the franchise's lead producers, confirmed that "nobody's in the running" for the starring role, though Elba had "been part of the conversation."
Broccoli also added at the time that filming for the next iteration of the series "is at least two years away."
