It’s no secret that Idris Elba has been rumored to take up the mantle as James Bond, but when leaked Sony emails proved that the Luther actor is (or was) high on the company’s list of actors to replace Daniel Craig — who will next play the 00 agent in Spectre — the momentum behind Elba has been growing exponentially of late.
Of course, given the nature of the Internet and the unwarranted hate it so often evokes in certain corners, the actor bore the brunt of some negative feedback through social media and other such platforms. As Elba would be the first Black Bond, many questioned whether his casting would steer the franchise and Ian Fleming’s character away from his purist, Scottish roots. And one such naysayer was Rush Limbaugh, an American entertainer who was left reeling after the leaked email found its way online.
“James Bond is a total concept put together by Ian Fleming. He was white and Scottish. Period. That is who James Bond is, was. But now [they are] suggesting that the next James Bond should be Idris Elba, a black Briton, rather than a white from Scotland. But that’s not who James Bond is and I know it’s racist to probably point this out.”
Naive and short-sighted, Limbaugh’s archaic comments are difficult to take seriously. As a versatile English actor that has more than proven his worth across film and television, Elba stands as a perfect candidate to play the part of James Bond, and the 42-year old took to Twitter with a self-deprecating post to respond to the recent news.
Isn’t 007 supposed to handsome? Glad you think I’ve got a shot! Happy New year people. pic.twitter.com/3g9lAl2Uo3
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) December 27, 2014
The people at Sony Pictures — who have been shaken and stirred in the aftermath of the hacking debacle — have clearly expressed an interest in casting Idris Elba, so we’re holding out hope that his casting proves to be a silver lining for the studio after a torrid few weeks, naysayers be damned.