The rumor mill is humming with speculation over who will fill the role of debonair spy James Bond after actor Daniel Craig’s contract for two more films expires. Among the names being tossed around by fans is that of black British actor Idris Elba, who has collected endorsements from celebrities such as Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. Elba’s performances in “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and in British television series “Luther” have won plaudits from film critics. The strongest seal of approval comes from former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, who affirmed Elba’s fit for the role of 007 in a recent interview with RadioTimes.
Others have voiced their opposition to the possibility that Elba will replace Craig after the next two Bond movies are filmed. Most notably, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has stressed to his audience that Bond is a white, Scottish character constructed by novelist Ian Fleming and that Elba’s selection would stand at odds with Bond’s racial identity. I am skeptical about this concern with finding an actor who most closely matches Bond’s physical characteristics as they are in Fleming’s novels. The pretense of preserving the accuracy of Fleming’s novels belies the racism that lies at the center of the objections to Elba’s candidacy for the role of Bond.
Last year, the casting of black actress Quvenzhané Wallis as the lead in “Annie” provoked similar responses from those who believed that a white actress must be cast in order to stay true to the 1977 Broadway musical and 1982 film. The problem with those like Limbaugh who can’t stand the idea of a black Bond or a black Annie is that their professed interest in maintaining the original characters does not emerge when a white actor plays the role of a character belonging to another race. Those opposed to a black Bond made no fuss over Alec Guinness as Fagin in “Oliver Twist” (1948) or Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961). Laurence Olivier donned blackface and adopted an “exotic” accent in his performance as the lead in “Othello” (1965).
In response to the indignation surrounding the possible selection of a black Bond, The Observer columnist Barbara Ellen writes: “This seems to be about white opposition to cultural icons being taken over by ethnic minorities.” I agree, and I hope individuals who object to Elba’s candidacy come to understand that minority identities and cultures have been appropriated by Hollywood for a long time. I would be more sympathetic to Limbaugh and others who desire an accurately white Bond actor if their views were more consistent with one another. To remain silent over the selection of Benedict Cumberbatch as the Indian character Khan Noonien Singh in “Stark Trek Into Darkness” (2013) while asserting the importance of maintaining Fleming’s originally white characters suggests nothing less than racism.
Another issue with the objections to an actor who strays from the original Bond character in appearance is that the character of Bond has already undergone significant change since his inception. Peter McKay of The Daily Mail explored this issue in detail at the end of last year, describing the original character envisaged by Fleming as “a tough, ruthless, womanising, chain-smoking, functioning alcoholic, snobbish and racist by today’s standards and contemptuous of authority.” Today’s Bond is much more suave and sophisticated. Physical characteristics such as skin color should not be denied the same fluidity over time. Each actor in the series has brought a different interpretation of Bond. Roger Moore brought levity to the role with his eyebrow raises, and current incumbent Daniel Craig’s style is much less rugged and ruthless than that of Sean Connery, the only Scottish actor to play the role of Bond. Fleming’s conception of Bond is fundamentally different from the Bond we see on the big screen today, further dampening the argument that Elba should not receive the role in order to preserve the character of Bond.
“Spectre,” the 24th Bond film, is set to release this year on Nov. 6. Craig will be contracted for one more film, after which the new Bond will emerge. No matter who is selected, I hope the decision will be rooted in an evaluation of each candidate’s fit for the role rather than racism dressed up as a sincere commitment to represent Fleming’s characters as accurately as possible.
Nazar Aljassar is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at n.aljassar@cavalierdaily.com.
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