Over the summer, Idris Elba announced his collaboration with the British label Superdry. He helped design a collection of 250 pieces, all of which looked pretty cool and very “Idris.” Like, if I was a dude, I would want to dress like Idris. I would want to walk, talk and style myself like Idris. Idris is The Man. To promote the collection, Idris did a launch event over the summer, and he appeared on the cover of Maxim, and then on Thursday (Thanksgiving), Idris did the formal London launch event for the Idris + Superdry collection. These are those photos. Nice, right? He looks good.
Meanwhile, there’s still a lot of speculation about whether Idris could receive his first-ever Oscar nomination for his role in Beasts of No Nation. He’s being included on a lot of critics’ end-of-the-year shortlists for Best Supporting Actor, alongside people like Benicio del Toro (for Sicario) and Mark Ruffalo (for Spotlight). I believe Idris would be okay with doing some Oscar campaign hustling, and I hope to see more of him in the coming months. Variety published a short interview with Idris this week, which you can read here. This is good – interviews in the trade papers are great for stoking a quiet Oscar campaign. Idris was even asked about James Bond and he basically did everything he could to not talk about it. Here’s a portion of the Variety piece:
Variety: Were you mortified by James Bond author’s comments that you were “too street” for the role?
No.Variety: Why not?
I was honestly doing other things. I didn’t pay attention.Variety: I know you get asked about James Bond a lot.
I do. I really have nothing constructive to say about James Bond. Apart from, it’s just a rumor.Variety: Do you think there could be a day where James Bond isn’t white?
Yeah. James Bond is a spy. He could be any color, surely.Variety: How do you consume movies?
If I can, I see films in movie theaters. If I can’t go to the movies, I’ll watch it at home on iTunes or Netflix. I still like DVDs, dude. I love that feeling of cracking open a new one and putting it in the DVD player and it swallows it up: “Oh, it’s going to start.”
At this point, getting Idris to comment on the James Bond rumors is like pulling teeth. Everything that has been said about it has been said already. I wish the studio would just come out and say something about it, like “Daniel Craig is leaving, we’re actively looking for a new James Bond,” just so we would actually have a new angle on it. For now, I feel sorry for Idris. This Bond sh-t isn’t on him, and he’s just trying to be a professional as he constantly gets these questions.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
No question he should be the next Bond!
Wasn’t there also some controversy with Daniel Craig for being blond?
Yes there was. And I still think that Bond should look like the character from the books. That said I’d love it if they would make films about “colleagues” of Bond, who are black or female or gay or whatever. That would be so cool.
He has a Sean Connery vibe-handsome and athletic. An excellent choice for Bond.
I wonder how the Bond legacy-oh puuuhleez-can shut him down. That would totally suck.
100% agree!!!
I disagree.
I think he is good looking, hot, in a Javier Bardem way. Not polished like Moore.
Also, what is it about Bond? Do people think world would become a better place with black Bond? No, this is just what lazy Hollywood writers want you to think. Why not create a new, modern spy? IMO, Bond should be done with Craig. Like, over. It was good while it lasted, great with Moore and Connery. Just my two cents.
Because why not?
And that’s what it comes down to. Why is James Bond skin tone pristinely untouched by modern adaptations and changes? Why would a ‘black’ Bond be a ‘no’?
I’m all for a black spy movie just as I’m all for a black Bond. The assistance against it has become ridiculous.
@eternal side eye for me it’s not that bond is prestine and should be untouched quite the opposite, he is boring, overdone, patantic and beneath an actor of idris’ quality. Why not create something new and exciting for talented actors and actresses instead of rewriting a character that should have been shelved 40+ years ago.
Sorry but Idris, Angelina, Chitwel, and all the other names being tossed in there for bond are talented nuanced actors who deserve better then to have to be try to breath life into a lifeless character. I respect these actors to much and want them to get real roles.
Agree 1000% Love him!
I’d love to see him as Bond. He’s so amazing. Lovely guy-I hope he gets a nom for his work. I think he should also be the first Bond to shoot an all nude film. Just IMHO-and dreams.
HAHAHAHAH
In My Barney Stinson Voice “THAT is the dream!!” Hahahahaha
Co-sign!
Lol you win, kri! Double co-sign on that one.
Croquemnudeidrisbond!
Yes, Idris as Bond would definitely need to be nekkid sometimes. But maybe not while driving a motorcycle or doing stunts, because ouch.
I’ve seen Idris play a lot of characters. I strongly believe he could pull off the Bond character. Though I do think he would also make a good Bond villain.
i hope he gets it, and i hope it paves the way so that other ethnic heritage british actors get the same opportunity. We have some incredible Indian and Chinese actors here in the UK, and a part like Bond should be completely diverse- as long as they look good in a tux, it doesn’t matter
Anything you say Idris, and when you are Bond, if you choose to take your clothes off ,that is perfectly fine too…out of the goodness of my heart, I will watch you…it…the movie, watch it!!
Lol!!!!
I feel bad for the guy getting all this attention but I also felt he was cowing to the other side by being so dismissive of his name being in the hat. So glad he finally stated the obvious, a spy can be played by any race. It carries a lot of power coming from him and laid out on an industry publication.
Of course he still wont get the role. But I think the studio will find him a franchise if only so he doesnt become the physical reminder of what studios do to actors of color.
He’s sexy as hell… but those slip on shoes with no socks in the top pic are killing the buzz somewhat. I cannot unsee them.
He. Doesn’t. Want. To. Do. It.
Read between the lines people and leave him alone.
Mia, I think just the opposite…..he seems very thirsty to me.
THANK YOU!!! Maybe at one point but he sounds like he’s over being asked about. You can read the annoyance off the page! Jut let it go already.
I agree Mia, He comes across very over talking about Bond and I don’t blame him.
He does have a movie in the can called Bastille Day where he plays a kind of Bond like character but since the movie’s plot reflects real life events, it’s been delayed (wise on the studios part). But this movie is probably as close as we will come to see Idris as Bond.
This particular spy, however, was Ian Fleming’s alter ego, and Fleming was white – Bond was created out of Fleming’s particular experiences and time (Fleming himself was spy). I think it’s more accurate to say, “Look, at this point in time, the film franchise has left its creator behind, the very gestalt in which this spy functions is unrecognizable, so why not a change of color?”
But just saying that because 007 is a spy, and spies come in all colors, is just silly. Vito Corleone was a criminal, and criminals come in all colors, too. But he was a fantasy criminal with roots also in a very specific cultural framework of his time and place. Fictional characters in books are written, framed, given life and specific identity. Sometimes changing them can work, sometimes it can’t.
“This particular spy, however, was Ian Fleming’s alter ego”. Well, for some reason this English mans alter ego was played by a Scotts man with a thick Scottish accent within his lifetime. The world did not explode and the character was no less convincing. Also, I suggest you watch the Bond movies in chronological order. The character has been modified severally and I mean both his appearance and his persona. With Idris you get an Englush man with talent, charisma and screen presence. So whats the real reason you object?
Ian Fleming was a complete failure as a spy, he wrote the Bond books because that was the only way he could have any success in the spy business!
Idris would be fabulous as Bond but I would love a collusion between Daniel and Idris together in the Bond movie, 007 and 008? I think that could work and they would totally kick @ss together, just a thought! 😉
Well said Red. Bond has gone through multiple changes in terms of persona and approach, why it wouldn’t make sense for Bond to also adapt to a changing world is bewildering.
I have never in my life seen a Bond movie, they’re just not my thing. But if Idris is Bond? Spending two hours alternating between wearing a tux and being shirtless? I will camp out at my local movie theater starting TODAY.
Hahahaha. Me too!
This is all that matters. Ticket sales. Bond is a relic. They’ve modernized it over the years, fewer sex partners, darker story lines, less camp, but why should I leave my house when I can stream HBO comfortably from my couch? If casting Idris will bring ladies to the theater, start a girls night tradition, sell tickets, they need to get on with it.
This man and Tom Hardy are so sexy!!! Idris could totally play Bond. But, maybe he is getting sick of the questions so perhaps they should just leave him be. Great actor and I hope he gets a Oscar nomination. He is utterly fantastic in Beasts of no Nation. Go Idris Go!
I never watched any of these movies because they all looked the same and the Bond chatacter seemed like an asshole but I thought James Bond was just a codename for the highest ranked spy at first, so they could all be different people working the same name at different times.
I like your perspective.
He would be an excellent Bond. I think the greatest risk is to Idris, not the Bone franchise. With a well written script it could be great, but most likely it’ll be total schlock and Idris will have to elevate it. He’s more than qualified, if anything he’s too good for Bond, but I can see the allure of franchise pay check.
A good spy has to blend in, in that sense Idris is a no go. But we are talking a make believe here. So why not.
I think the only real issue is his age, how many movies can he make before they have to replace him at a rate of one movie in 5 years?
Tbh if that were true James Bond would be played by a balding slightly chubby no -descript older white man. The whole aspect of truly blending in would mean half his movies would be worked at some generic nameless faceless occupation that would allow him to disappear in a sea of transients.
The truth is Bond is purely fantasy. When you look at a undercover detectives for instance they’re usually targeted to perfectly assimilate into whatever field they will be entering. So if one has to enter a high school then suddenly the 30 yr old female officer who’s 5’2 and 110 lbs gets the job.
Bond as a fantasy is running through casinos, loving on exotic women, and throwing punches with abandon while also using gadgets and driving cool cars. Idris fits that perfectly.
Just saw Beasts of No Nation. Oh it was gooooood. Idris was amazing. The boy playing Agu was amazing. It really was a fantastic movie. The story, the nuances, the subtlety. Goodness.
Don’t care about Bond, Idris is to talented to be stuck to such a boring dead character. Deserves better.
But I will be so mad if he isn’t nominated for an Oscar!! Still angery he didn’t get the nom for Mandela. God this man is talented. And hot I mean sweet lord wow. But seriously he is a fantastic actor and deserves a nomination.