Helen Mirren recently slammed the James Bond franchise for “profound sexism” while also saying she doesn’t believe the next 007 should be female via NY Post.
The Oscar winner also opened up on the famed fictional spy in an interview promoting her new series “MobLand,” which she stars in alongside Pierce Brosnan who played Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002.
“I have to say I was never a great ward [of Bond],” Mirren told the Standard.
“I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan. I mean, oh my God.”
She continued, “Obviously, he’s gorgeous and everything, and I think he’s fabulous in ‘MobLand,’ but he also happens to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with. And indeed Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit. Again, a very lovely gracious person.”
The franchise’s treatment of women never sat right with her.
“The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing,” she said. “It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond.”
Mirren explained why she’s opposed to a female 007: “The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism.”
Rather than changing the British secret agent’s gender, Mirren said that filmmakers should tell the stories of actual female spies.
“Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been. And very brave,” the “1923” star said. “If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world.”
Discussions about a woman potentially taking over the iconic role of James Bond have surged recently, fueled by the significant news that 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G. Wilson have handed control of the character’s creative direction to Amazon MGM Studios for a substantial $1 billion.
Although Amazon gained access to the Bond intellectual property when it acquired MGM for $8.5 billion in 2022, Broccoli and Wilson previously retained the final word on major decisions, including casting.
Just weeks after this deal, Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon MGM Studios, stepped down from her position. Many industry insiders suggest that her ongoing conflicts with Broccoli over Bond’s future contributed to Prime Video head Mike Hopkins losing confidence in her leadership.
Daniel Craig stars as James Bond in
NO TIME TO DIE,
an EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios film
Credit: Nicola Dove
© 2021 DANJAQ, LLC AND MGM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
