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Elba doesn't have a thick cockney accent and I don't see why or how his accent should even be an issue. How many people keep throwing Fassbender's name around and yet the guy is as Irish as they come. Brosnan didnt even sound British let alone like an Englishman. Looking at all the actors that have played Bond, accent is hardly a major priority. That being said, I get some people don't like Elba because they think he's a dick and some people simply just don't want a Bond who isn't white and those are fair enough points but seeing some comments such as Elba's not good looking enough or he's not a good enough actor or he'a hiphop dj in his spare time are just plain daft. Personally, I think Elba is a better, more charismatic, more versatile and better looking actor than Craig and irrespective of his age, the reason I don't want him to be Bond is because I don't want a Bond that isn't white. It's that simple. No beating about the bush or elaborate justifications. Bond is and should always be white imo.
I have noticed, generally speaking, that its usually American websites and publications that are stumping for Elba. I wonder why! In the British press, less so. He'll be mentioned in a group article, with the other usual suspects, Hardy, Fassbender, Lewis etc, but there seems to be far less hype about him in general. As you said, the GQ mag gave him a token mention, but he got very few votes from Bond's home crowd. And Aiden Turner was second in that poll. Is he ever mentioned anywhere on US sites? Never. American bloggers just keep cluelessly throwing out the same 40-something names over and over again with no understanding of EON's history with this kind of thing.
Or Licence Extended
No chance. Western voting would be bad enough, but people from the east as well. Too many clueless OR PC (for the sake of it) idiots out there.
A better call than Elba though.
You rather have Pierce back than Elba?
:))
Neither will happen of course :)
Neither will happen of course, I agree.
With Americans it's more about the hypothetical. Why can't a British spy be black? Or are the Brits so stuffy that they won't even consider it? After all, the American president is black........and so on and so on.
Bottom line - show me another possible contender who has the charisma and physique, not to mention acting capabilities of Elba out there right now. There isn't one. EON had better find him or they had better throw moola at DC to retain him.
JB is a white man.
Hilarious. You can accept actors who either had or concealed Scottish, Australian, Irish and Northern English accents, but because Elba's normal voice is London working class that discounts him?!
The hoops people will jump through to avoid saying "I don't want him because he's black".
Can I ask would you have a black Sherlock Holmes with a Cockney accent?
Totally. But Holmes is slightly different from Bond in that he's been played around with a lot more already. And there's no copyright or protection of the source material so you can do what you want.
For all it's deep rooted racism, the U.S. is much further ahead on the curve than the UK when it comes to roles for non white actors - there's a lot more creativity and openness to having non white faces in familiar and new roles.
The UK is in a bit a time warp in this respect.
Ultimately for me it's all about the quality of the end product. Would I prefer Henry Cavill or Idris Elba as Bond? For me it's simple - Elba is the better actor and better suited to the part in every respect apart from skin colour. I'd much rather have to adjust to the idea of black Bond than have to endure a decade of feeble acting just because we have to have a white guy in the lead role.
To prefer a bad white actor over a good black actor, just because you can't get your head around a much loved character having a different race is pretty sad IMO.
As I said above, Elba is not just getting the 'wouldn't it be cool if Bond was black' vote. People can genuinely see him doing a good job in the role. His CV is classic for Bond - lots of TV, with some low budget movies. That's the place most Bonds have come from in the past.
Any way, it ain't gonna happen.
Just as hilarious as being called racist just because you don't automatically bow down at the idea of Elba being Bond. All the other actors (Lazenby excepted, but he was dubbed for half the film anyway), for me, spoke within a correct range of portraying Ian Fleming's character who went to Eton and Fettes. Craig and Connery do lean slightly more towards working class, but no-one with a cockney accent would be acceptable as James Bond to me. It doesn't seem right. I'd dismiss Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, Ray Winstone, and Michael Caine etc for the exact same reason.
So that's my personal quirk, maybe. Other people have hangups about Bond having a certain hair color or has to be a certain height but I'm not really bothered about those. Anyway, moving on...no-one's mentioned Fassbender in at least three pages so it's time for another week long discussion about him!
Honestly you don't have a clue. The UK is time warped on race. You won't find a KKK In the UK. Your perception of the UK and race prejudice is deeply flawed. There are hundreds of leading UK black men and women in film and TV.
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002238225/
We may not produce as many films as the US but nothing else.
Elba is too old for the next Bond. He is so far detached from the creation he is not a Bond actor IMO nothing to do with race give me Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor over Elba anyday. I would put Elba in the Gerard Butler bracket.
I partly agree. But there are hardly "sex scenes" in Bond, either.
Goodness me, over 25 counts as "older male"? :)) Okay... I guess it's all relative... And 59% is not heavily male audience to me, btw.
Actors changing accents for various roles is a normal thing, though, so I don't see why an actor's own accent should be important for the roles they can or can't play. Not everyone is good with accents, though, or don't bother much with them, so that would be another matter, then. - And I'm not speaking about Elba, specifically, and have no idea how he is with accents. But just in general, why should it matter what accents actors use when not on screen?
:)) He was mentioned even earlier on this page... :P
As crappy as all that sounds I can see every bit of that happening.
Black Mass with Depp (another possible Oscar contender) disappointed, so I'm hoping this one impresses me.
I'll be looking for clues as to whether Hardy can take Bond on.
I'm interested to see what you think. I like Hardy and he's a popular name to replace Craig. I like his acting but I don't know yet.
Since Craig I believe some of the newer audience has a different vision of how Bond looks.
I could be wrong. Either way I'll remain a die-hard Bond fan.
He looks incredibly charismatic in the trailers so I'm curious to see this film. He's a bit on the butch and short side however. Unlike some, I think even with camera tricks (like they definitely used in SP to make DC look taller) that it would be better if we got a taller actor next time.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTEBiy2UWeyFvGw5p0k2cMiuv01Q6DbmLQxwYIvcJ5Z9RF4Pqx
Thanks ...my new wallpaper for the week.
Well, quite a lot of non white British actors would disagree with you, and while you're entitled to your views, I suggest you might want to do a little more reading around the subject.
All I'd say is that I'm British and I think that in many respects the UK can be reasonably proud in terms of its record on race. But in terms of providing equal opportunities in the arts and acting (particualrly TV and film) on a comparable scale to the U.S., we still have some way to go.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/28/roles-uk-black-minority-ethnic-actors-worse-than-ever-claims-david-oyelowo
And Ejiofor over Elba for Bond? Seriously?
Oscar nominated Ejiofor is a far better actor than Elba, Ejiofor is a trained Shakespearee Theatre actor and has worked with Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg a whole world above Elba.
Elba is a former DJ and was a supporting TV actor that nobody had really heard of prior to Luther, which only grew in popularity as it grew a cult following over a few years, he is not a blockbuster leading man, he is a good TV actor who is good in supporting movie roles. He is currently voicing Shere Khan in the Jungle Book remake, I think that tell you he's found his level. He's the black Vinny Jones.
Well, he was pretty damn good in the Wire. But take your point. And a background in TV is where many Bond actors have come from - Rog, Tim, Pierce, Dan. It's how most British actors get their breaks.
Ejiofor may be the more overall gifted actor, but that doesnt automatically make him better Bond material.
Agree with all your points. But it doesn't get away from the fact that Elba is Black. Yet the character of Bond is white. That rules Elba and Ejiofor out completely. There hasn't been a Black Bond villain since 1973...Elba can have that part if he likes!
Tim and Pierce were theatre trained prior to any TV roles. You are right in that TV helped both their careers. Dan was different though he had already worked with Spielberg and played lead in a Guy Ritchie movie. Brosnan's route to Bond was different he was dating Cassandra Harris who played Countess Lisl von Schlaf in FYEO in which he was introduced to Cubby on location who took one look at him and said ""if he can act ... he's my guy" in other words like Lazenby he was hired on his look alone. Dalton was a serious drama thespian actor the first actor hired on not just his look but his acting ability although Connery turned out to be a great he was also hired on his looks. Moore was hired because he was already a parody of Bond in Spy world in the Saint which had a massive following Moore was a Saltzman idea, Broccoli was unconvinced in casting him. Funny as Cubby and Moore because so close and even after Saltzman's departure Cubby stuck with him.
With the global audience and the budgets involved in Bond now, the days of casting a TV or Theatre actor only know to UK audience I believe are over. The next Bond will be someone British, and someone who has shown they have a range of acting with some global appeal and success. Dan will be a hard act to follow, in order to keep the non committal fans of the franchise to keep paying to see the movies it needs to be someone with draw. I think the one sticking out like a sore thumb is Tom Hardy two rumours which came over a year apart 1. He had already agreed to take over in a verbal agreement with EON and that he would not do a sequel to This Means War in which he played a spy or consider any other spy franchises. A year later the next rumour was that he has been told the job is his when Dan decides not to continue. I am looking at it from Barb's view and I am think Hardy is ticking the boxes
British
Has already done massive films
Has the physique
Has a great range of acting
Can be dry and funny
dedicated to his craft and can morph in to roles Bane/Bronson/Krays
Displays believable emotion on screen
Gritty
He is at a good age to take over in two years, and an even better ages to take over in 4.
Hardy himself says he doesn't want it to be talked about, because when peoples names are run by the press that person doesn't get considered further, so he clearly wants it.
I am pretty sure Tom Hardy will be the next James Bond. I reckon Nolan who worked who cast him in DKR and Inception would be the one directing him again.
Hi career path almost replicates Daniels, Obligatroy guy Ritchie movie Rocknrolla - Tv Drama's playing the bad guys, on to Holywood playing the villain. Without a doubt if your EON and looking he is your front runner.