Roger Moore in race row after saying Elba can't be Bond because he's not 'English English'

[Liberal_in_LA]

Roger Moore in race row after saying Elba can't be Bond because he's not 'English English'


Sir Roger, who played 007 in seven films, was asked by an interviewer about the idea of black actor Idris Elba being cast as 007.

The screen legend, 87, replied: "A few years ago, I said that Cuba Gooding Jnr would make an excellent Bond, but it was a joke!"

"'Although James may have been played by a Scot, a Welshman and an Irishman, I think he should be "English-English," he added.

"Nevertheless, it's an interesting idea, but unrealistic."

It is unclear what Sir Roger defines as "English-English", but The Wire star Idris was born, raised and schooled in England.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/566914/Sir-Roger-Moore-Idris-Elba-James-Bond-007-race

[randome]

1. Fuck that. I want a female Bond! And a female Doctor Who, too!

[hr][font color="blue"][center]The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one you’re already in.[/center][/font][hr]

[KitSileya]

3. Lucy Liu for Bond!

Or Idris Elba. Either would make excellent Bonds, the former if she can adopt the proper accent, of course.

[Codeine]

4. I hope the current Doctor lasts quite a while,

but yeah, the next one should be a woman.

[packman]

5. And a boy playing the lead in Annie

and a white, Southern man depicting the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and a cat reviving the role of Rin Tin Tin. In other words, I agree with Sir Moore - some things are best done in the spirit and intent of the author , the character, the time or the historical convention . I'm a traditionalist , I guess, in how I drink my whiskey and want certain things presented. Really - a female Thor! Next thing will be a male depicting the life of Madam Currie.

[Bluenorthwest]

14. First off, one says 'Sir Roger' and clearly Roger lacks the insight to understand that for a

fictional character, the moment when that character starts being portrayed by a diverse group of actors is the moment that character becomes a true part of the culture. See, Martin Luther King, Jr was an actual person, Bond is a fictional character. Fleming's original time and historical context is long past. The films have no chosen, as they could have done, to remain set in the Fleming era instead they have moved forward along that timeline and are always set in 'present day'. Perhaps the leading reason for that is that a major feature of Bond films and Bond himself is cutting edge technologies, he's not the past, he's a step ahead. Today's Bond has to have tech we don't have, but obviously the man needs a cell phone, Fleming never even dreamed to give him such a thing.
If he's going to live in the present, his attitudes and those of the universe he lives in must also be in the present. In Fleming's time, M would not have been a woman, but in the films Judy sure is fine in the role, and a woman in that job makes full and reasonable sense. So in terms of casting and Fleming's 'intent' the bridge has been crossed long since.
In what world, fictional or real, is M a woman but no double 0 agent is black? Because I'd have to contend that in Fleming's Bond universe, the dynamic between men and women and the expected gender roles play a far larger part in defining that universe than racial dynamics or identity, so once you have make women Bond's equals and superiors, Fleming's world has been updated drastically and is no longer Fleming's world.
Idris Elba would be a most excellent casting choice for the role of James Bond.

[treestar]

20. 007 is not a role like that

He's what, an international spy? That could be a man of any color.

Whereas Annie does have to be a little girl. But she could be black or any other race.

MLK has to be played by a black man because of what his story was.

[greytdemocrat]

8. Well...

We had a female "The Master" in Dr. Who for a short while. I'd
bet she'll be back.

[randome]

12. She is supposed to return, which is good.

But after a female Doctor, why not a kid next? A young, 1000 year old genius. That should make for some good stories.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font][hr]

[Nye Bevan]

15. Matt Smith was young enough for me (nt)

[packman]

17. In defense of miscasting- Captain Kathryn Janeway

killing a series. And you all know it.

[Ilsa]

22. I don't think she killed that series...

The undertone of being so far from home, running into the disasters that befell that ship, got me too down. It was depressing. My husband thought the lower light settings on the bridge, etc, made it worse. I was fine with Janeway and the Macai (?) Rebels together. But I didn't like the long term, multi-season premise.

[Shrike47]

2. Old man says something that might be better unsaid or rephrased. Not that exciting.

Sean Connery is James Bond. No one else. If it's not Sean Connery, anybody can play the part.

[One of the 99]

6. This whole Idris Elba as Bond thing is a non-story.

First, Daniel Craig has 2 more movies to go on his contract. One is being filmed now to be released at the end of the year and the last will be in 3 years. So that's at least another 5 to 6 years until they start looking for a new Bond.

Second, this all started with a hacked email by Amy Pascal at Sony. Forget that Pascal is no longer with Sony. But Sony doesn't pick who plays Bond. Eon Productions does. So the decision is up to Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, not anyone at Sony.

[marmar]

7. English-English translation: White English

[Cal Carpenter]

11. Exactly. I could care less who the next Bond is, tbh

But that shit is flat out racist. Not English enough. Born and raised there? How much more English could he be?

And he's a good enough actor that I almost forget he is English because I've only seen him in the Wire and the Office where he does spot on American accents (2 very different versions, nonetheless).

In fact I just googled to find a video interview just so I could hear his normal speech. Sounds pretty fucking English-English to me!

[ellie]

9. Idris Elba is hot as hell!

He would make a damn fine Bond.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

10. A Chicago columnist years ago frequently pushed the idea of Michael Jordan as Bond.

[KeepItReal]

13. Now I feel bad for even liking "Moonraker" as a kid

As I matured, I realized Sean Connery played a superior Bond (and crushes it on Jeopardy).

Daniel Craig is doing very well in the role at present and when his time is up, I hope Idris Elba is seriously considered.

I got hooked on Elba in "Luther" (Netflix it!).

If Luther can solve crimes without so much as a sidearm, imagine what Elba could do with a Q Branch at his disposal.

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. i couldnt follow Luther becsuse of the strong accents.need a version with subtitles

[djean111]

19. Yay! Another Luther fan! Elba would be an outstanding James Bond, no question.

Fantastic show.

[KeepItReal]

25. Can't wait for Luther Season 4!

[djean111]

18. Sean Connery - really really good.

Roger Moore - played for laughs, not as good.
Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby - forgettable.
Pierce Brosnan - pretty good.
Daniel Craig - awesome and my favorite so far.

That all being said - I would love for Daniel Craig to do quite a few more, but since he will only do two more - my pick would be Idris Elba. Anyone who has watched Luther would see what I mean. Smart, sexy, ENGLISH, can be intelligently humorous but not silly (like Roger Moore).

I am an old white woman who saw all of the Sean Connery Bonds when they premiered in theaters. I saw that leaked or hacked list, and Elba, IMO, was the only one on there that would be believable and not a lightweight not too young, and not take me out of the movie like some famous actors do.

[whistler162]

26. George Lazenby - Really really really good.

The best Bond since Barry Nielson and Peter Sellers.

[djean111]

28. For one second there, I froze...and now I can't stop laughing.

[DanTex]

21. Ugh. He was my favorite Bond. Also seemed to be a good human being.

Idris Elba would make a phenomenal James Bond. I was hoping for Clive Owen, but he might be a little old by the next time they switch.

[randome]

23. When I saw 'Clive' I immediately thought 'Cliven Bundy'.

So join with me now. Write your movie studios, your congressmen, your deli store clerk and let's all push for Cliven Bundy, international man of mystery, to be the next James Bond!

Woo-hoo!!!!!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[DanTex]

24. LOL. Cliven Bundy, international man of mystery!!! Perfect.

[pretzel4gore]

27. shame on us all...

james bond...ferchrisasake. A public servant who uses public money to ...what, protect the grinning fukken pig? Shame. You forget that agent 007 was promo-ed while the Revolution was quietly being turned away, then systemically destroyed until today rightwing fascism rules the world, and youse all happy (don't worry, BE!) Where's your pity for...say the Hells Angels motorbike gang; the rightwing bully boys? Oh, they were thugs who hated poor people; and racist, OPENLY racist, which isn't allowed in this corrupt and vicious culture of ours. NOPE! Too many of our Dem. Undergrounders do not seem to notice that the REVOLUTION was a sacred trust, and we let the nazipoohs step on it (just like Orwell said they would)...
Kim philby and the others knew the truth, THAT the british-american ruling elite had more in common with hitler etc and didn't really want to win WW2 (which is where the secret agent myth is rooted)..since the REAL BAD GUYS were the working class teenagers with AK 47 who dared fight our good guys the world over, starting in Indo China (ie Vietnam).
Man they enjoyed watching the Soviet Union collapse! regan. Wow. rush limbo. mittens, HRC...goldman sachs, qualitative easing...lol