Diversifying Your Bonds

Unless you have been under a rock for the last few months, you should know that Sony was hacked and a ton of their emails were stolen and made public. One of those emails had to do with ideas about where the James Bond franchise will be going.

The email suggested that popular British actor; Idris Elba is on a short list to play 007 in the future.

Mr. Elba is a good looking, popular, British actor. Many Bond fans have made it clear that he would be very welcome in the role. However, Idris is of African descent, His Father being from Sierra Leone and his Mother being from Ghana. Idris may have been born in London; however, his skin is Black.

For some Idris’ color is an issue. Thirteen different actors have played James Bond over the last 50 years and though they range in height, eye color, hair color, and nationality, they have all been white.

James Bond was originally written as a white man, so naturally white actors have played him.

Rush Limbaugh recently said,

“James Bond is a total concept put together by Ian Fleming. He was white and Scottish. Period. That is who James Bond is. 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.”

Rush has proven many, many times that he is in fact “racist” and his fan base is also racist. Therefore, the news of Idris Elba playing Bond is upsetting to him.

There was similar racial outrage when Idris was cast as Heimdall in the Marvel Thor films, however he played the role well, and the universe did not implode.

The thing that Rush and his fans have seemed to overlook is that Bond was not always Scottish. That was a change added after Sean Connery played the character. Each actor has added things to the character.

What I find interesting is how Idris being black is far more important than the current actor-playing bond being blonde with blue eyes.

Mr. Elba has said if the role were offered to him, he would take it, though he also said,

“I just don’t want to be the black James Bond, Sean Connery wasn’t the Scottish James Bond, and Daniel Craig wasn’t the blue-eyed James Bond, so if I played him, I don’t want to be called the black James Bond.”

What is important is that actors who are black have recently played two Bond characters and the franchise has seemed to go on just fine.

Actors of color are currently playing both the characters of Felix Leiter and Miss Moneypenny.

Maybe Rush just has a problem with the face of the franchise being black.

The one thing I would ask all the haters is what is Idris Elba supposed to do?

He is a talented actor and has excelled on television and in films. People love him and would love to see him in a major movie franchise. So why should his skin color be a factor?