Helen Mirren argues against calls for a female James Bond: "You can't have a woman"
"You can't have a woman. It just doesn't work."
Helen Mirren has said the next James Bond "has to be a guy" even though she’s "such a feminist".
Speculation is rife over who the next Bond will be in the upcoming iteration of the spy franchise, which is currently in development and being overseen by Amazon MGM Studios after longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson stepped back in February.
The studio previously said it will offer a "fresh" take on the franchise while also honouring the "legacy of this iconic character".
In a new interview with Saga Magazine, Mirren said: "I’m such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy."
She continued: "You can’t have a woman. It just doesn’t work. James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else."
The Oscar-winning actress is currently appearing opposite former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan in Netflix's adaptation of The Thursday Murder Club, in which she portrays a retired spy.
Brosnan also suggested that a male actor should succeed Daniel Craig in the role, before adding that he was excited to "see a whole new exuberance and life for this character".
Mirren has previously spoken out against a female James Bond, telling The Standard: "The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond. The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism."
She added that she would rather see "real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world".
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
