Forget Hiddleston: Idris Elba Needs To Be Our Next Bond

This week, a UK bookie suspended betting on the next James Bond after Tom Hiddleston became the overwhelming favourite. But one member has another actor on her wishlist…

‘Who should be the next James Bond?’ is the question that’s been on everybody’s lips since Daniel Craig started bashing the movie series publicly.

In case you missed it, Daniel Craig’s made it pretty clear he isn’t a fan of James Bond anymore, after filming Spectre. This gives us a great opportunity to discuss which actor should take over the iconic role.

While Bond has been played by a flurry of talented stars, including Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan, the application for the Bond audition seems to always run as so: the actor must be a male in his mid-to-late thirties, good at staring solemnly at explosions, and carrying enough charisma to make ladies (and a whole lot of men) weak at the knees.

However, it’s 2016 now; a whole eleven years since Daniel Craig was cast as the famous spy, and in those eleven years, a lot about the movie & television industry has changed.

For instance, it’s no longer simply accepted as a reality of the industry when the Oscar nominations are devoid of any actors of colour. Locally, Waleed Aly just won the Gold Logie – becoming the first person of colour to do so. Society is slowly changing to recognise diversity and the richness it brings to our screens. People are calling for change.

Therefore, it’s about time James Bond got with the program, and cast a person of colour in the leading role.

Idris Elba - a 43-year-old English actor who’s been active since 1994 - has been slowly breaking down the walls surrounding people of colour. A highly skilled performer, he has already played Nelson Mandela (in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) and was recognised as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to drama. All that, in addition to five Golden Globe nominations (and one win). So, it’s clear he’s a strong actor.

Elba has also won Essence’s Sexiest Man of the Year (2013) and has been named as one of People’s 100 Most Beautiful People in the World (2007), which will surely satisfy the film producers’ need for a captivating and magnetic male lead.

Elba played the titular character in BBC’s Luther for four seasons, demonstrating that he is able to carry the pressure and the scrutiny of long-running roles. His screen presence is just what Bond needs: a strong, demanding, confident actor who is a gentleman both on screen and off.

So what’s stopping Elba from being signed up right away? Well, traditionally Bond has always been white. But as we’ve seen so far from 2016, times are changing, with audiences appreciating more diverse casts, and producers seeing that they can enrich the quality of the content we consume by embracing diversity.

If the producers behind Bond aren’t careful, James Bond will soon feel like a relic from the past. It’s clear: now is the time for Bond to jump into the 21st century and cast an actor of colour, with the most prominent (and in my opinion, best) candidate being Idris Elba.

Congratulations to Leela for winning this writing challenge, answering: Who Should Be The Next Bond? Leela wins a $50 Westfield gift card for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!

Photo: StudioCanal.