Idris Elba over the idea of playing James Bond: ‘It became about race’

nypost.com:

James Bond.The British actor, 50, has been a fan-favorite choice to play the super spy in recent years.However, due to the racial recoil he’s received about the possible role, Elba’s speculative casting has left a bad taste in his mouth.The “Luther” actor recently sat down with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes for an episode of their “SmartLess” podcast, where he said he was “super complimented” by the Bond rumors.But the prejudiced backlash got to him.“I was like, ‘This is crazy!’ Because James Bond… We’re all actors and we understand that role.

It’s one of those coveted [roles],” Elba explained. He continued, “Being asked to be James Bond was like, ‘Okay, you’ve sort of reached the pinnacle.’ ““That’s one of those things the whole world has a vote in,” he added about the MI6 agent’s massive popularity and franchise.Elba noted that at first, “it was a huge compliment” that many people “were really happy about the idea that I could be considered.” “Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race.

It became about nonsense, and I got the brunt of it,” the “Thor” alum continued.One major critic who bashed Elba’s prospective casting was author Anthony Horowitz, who wrote three Bond novels.In 2015, Horowitz blasted Elba, saying he was “too street” to portray Bond.“Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other black actors who would do it better,” the writer told the Daily Mail at the time. “For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part.

It’s not a color issue. I think he is probably a bit too ‘street’ for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.”The “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” star further look himself out of the Bond.