African-American James Bond

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   thirdmilleniumposted 9 years ago

   Today's top level actors cannot but include people like Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Jamie Fox, Weslie Snipe,  Chiwetel Ejiofor  all African-Americans. Above all, there is Morgan Freeman. Each of them as good as any anywhere. But James Bond? I am not for a moment suggesting there should be bias.
   
   Idris Alba is perhaps  more dashing than all the people above - age is on his side, anyway -   and I daresay can prove to be more suave and His being British makes him a most apt actor to play James Bond.  However,my point is this: Do you think Ian Fleming's imagination could have accommodated any one other than a white for the Royal Navy officer?
   
   Going unconventional is fine but surely there things that are best left as they are for nostalgia's sake? I am all for creating a new character, even more dashing, more modern African American spy than Bond but I think Bond is best left to his own old self.
   
   This is not to create a controversy but just a thought spoken aloud. Please do not accuse me of any bias.
   

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      Onusonusposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I wouldn't care what race they are trying to put in the roll. I say let the fans speak for themselves. The money will follow.
      
      Some Asian people protested the idea of the Last Air Bender being cast as a white kid.
      If people were to protest and demonstrate against the idea of a black James Bond they would be labeled racist.

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   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   He had already been four different nationalities, a bunch of different appearances, and not aged in 50 years.  I don't see how making him black is fundamentally different to making him Scottish and immortal.

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      thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      But, don't you see the common thread among the actors  of the  four nationalities?

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         janesixposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         They're all men?
         
         Did I guess right?

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            thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            You in deed are perceptive but there is another common thing which is more relevant to our discussion. Have another guess.

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         psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I am saying Bond can change his basic characteristics, race is just one more characteristic.
         
         If you are suggesting race is some special exception perhaps you should say why you think this.
         
         Major superheroes have been recast for race, Bond is really just another of the same ilk.

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            thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I have no reservation in agreeing with you but like say, Halle Berry or Vanessa Williams (An all time beauty, to be sure)  can easily be seen more fetching than Marilyn Monroe but can you interchange them? NO, I want to reiterate that race has absolutely nothing to do with what I am saying.

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               psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Bond has changed his characteristics all the time.  But you are treating race as "special" and fixed.  You are saying Bond can become a different nationality, age, shape, weight, and hair color, so why not skin color?  I am asking why you think that.  Because it has everything to do with how you conceptualise race in a way that is clearly different to how I am conceptualising it.

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                  thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  You are saying Bond can become a different nationality, age, shape, weight, and hair color, so why not skin color?
                  
                  This statement of yours does not belong to Bond. All these people are portraying Bond as a British naval officer. George Lazenby was not referred to as a New Zealander  etc.  Anyway, I can see this is dangerously close to becoming racial and I have no intention of turning it into one. I apologize for starting this.

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                     psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     You think Sean Connery was playing an Englishman, and Daniel Craig was playing a brunet?
                     
                     If so, a black actor could just play him "white".  It would be just as convincing.
                     
                     I think by insisting race is different you are in fact showing that your position is based on treating race as a special category with special privileges.

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                        thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        I sincerely think we do not have to see hidden agendas or oversimplify things into black and white. Race is hardly on my mind. It is the images in my mind, the ambiance, the general atmosphere along with the natural surrounding that I am talking about.  I just want to have nostalgia intact for me personally. I am sure many others would want it that way too. I assure you that race does not even enter my mind as long as it is all in place without being disturbed.  Captain Von Trapp and the Austrian Alps, the children, the nun belong in the movie just as the way they are portrayed and I would not want them changed. What about Riverdale, Archie, Betty, Veronica and the rest of the crowd? Do you want to remember them as they were when you were young and had enormous harmless fun out of their tales or do you want the memory to be unnecessarily shaken up with socially correct racially balanced snippets? I mean political correctness does not have to be thrust into every situation and end up making it artificial. I hope people understand my viewpoint. Who can stop Gene Clark or Gram Parsons being played by a black actor? But, will it be natural or politically correct?
                        
                        (And, please give me Denzel Washington any day of the week and I ready to eat him for break-fast, lunch and dinner. Same goes for Morgan Freeman. Love them both more than my perennial favorites Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood.)

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                           psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           This only makes it even more clear that you think racial privilege is very important and "white" things can be shared across all kinds of age, nationality and appearance boundaries but only with other whites and never people of color.
                           
                           I disagree. A black Bond would be different in fascinating ways.  But he is a conceptual space not a real person as shown by the diverse people that have already played him. He could be black just like Dr Who, Superman or the president could/can be.  Change can be good.

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                              thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              I can see your point. And, I think I can find a way out of this. I can watch the Sean Connery and perhaps Roger Moore  (others make me laugh) movies for nostalgia and new ones with black actors for their own merits without thinking they are real Bond movies. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. difficult, let us see

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   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   p.s. the main black candidate for the role, Chiwetel Ejiofor, is certainly not African American.

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   word55posted 9 years ago

   There is only one slick James Bond: The original. Could there be another native, Shaft? No way!

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   FatFreddysCatposted 9 years ago

   Idris Elba sez that the rumors about him being the next Bond have been so thoroughly beaten to death on the Internet that they've pretty much sabotaged any chance it might have had of actually happening...
   
   http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/i … mor-787201
   
   "Honestly, it’s a rumor that’s really starting to eat itself," the 42-year-old star of Luther and The Wire told the audience at London's British Film Institute on Tuesday. "If there was ever any chance of me getting Bond, it’s gone."
   
   Elba also confirmed that talks with Bond producers have "never happened," and blamed the man currently brandishing the license to kill for sparking the gossip. "Daniel Craig actually set the rumor off. About four years ago he said Idris Elba would be a great Bond and then it started to creep," he said. "I blame Daniel."

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      thirdmilleniumposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      If Craig had manipulated so, it is unbecoming of him. In which case, Elba needs to be the next Bond.

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