Over the years, non-male actors like Gillian Anderson, Charlize Theron, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Emily Blunt have been mentioned in online chatter as to who could best put a spin on the role of Agent 007 in a modern James Bond film but, according to a former Bond girl, seeing a woman follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery and, most recently, Daniel Craig, would be “too outrageous.”
In an interview with The Times, Gemma Arterton — who played Strawberry Fields in the 2008 Bond film “Quantum of Solace” alongside Craig — expressed her staunch views on the matter, saying, “Isn’t a female James Bond like Mary Poppins being played by a man?”
While no woman has played James Bond, the franchise introduced Nomi, a female 00 agent, in “No Time to Die” (2021). Played by Lashana Lynch, Nomi briefly holds the 007 designation after Bond’s retirement, marking a significant step toward diversifying the franchise, but Arterton is of the belief that the role should continue to be given to a man, saying, “Sometimes you just have to respect the tradition.”
In a 2021 interview with Radio Times, Craig fielded questions on the possibility of a woman as his successor in the role, saying, “The answer to that is very simple. There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color. Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”
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