Sir Roger Moore’s son Geoffrey has admitted he believes only a man should fill 007’s shoes when the next actor is cast in the iconic role.
Geoffrey – aka Jaffa – weighed in on the debate over who will be the next James Bond after Daniel Craig revealed he was stepping down.
When asked if the role should be played by a woman, 57-year-old Jaffa told the Emphatically: ‘Well, then it’s not James Bond anymore. I mean, she could be 006, 008, or 009…”
Lashana Lynch’s character Nomi was codenamed 007 during the final film when Craig’s Bond left MI6 and went off grid.
However, Jaffa admitted that he thought the move had caused “confusion” among audiences watching No Time To Die.
Opinion: Sir Roger Moore’s son Geoffrey has admitted he believes only a man should fill 007’s shoes when the next actor is cast in the iconic role
Icon: Geoffrey – aka Jaffa – weighed in on the debate over who will be the next James Bond after Daniel Craig revealed he would be stepping down (pictured Sir Roger Moore)
He explained: ‘In the last Bond, I think that was the confusion. That she [Nomi] was 007 and then said, ‘I have to give it back to Bond. It’s his number.’
Jaffa went on to say that he would approve a female version of Bond if it were a separate franchise to the 007 series.
He said, “Maybe there will be a ‘From the filmmakers of James Bond comes Jane or Jemima Bond’ or whatever.”
The restorer added that women have successfully portrayed spies in the past, noting that Charlize Theron “pulled off” her role in Atomic Blonde.
But he doubled down on his original position and said it wouldn’t be the same because “[Ian] Fleming’s Bond’, must be played by a man.
In an interview with radio times in 2021 Daniel revealed why he also thinks a female actress should not replace him as Bond.
He insisted that the role should not be played by a female actress, as they deserve their own roles that were not written for men.
Amid calls for the next 007 to be played by a woman, the actor, who is stepping down from the role after the forthcoming No Time To Die, stated that instead of casting them in male roles, there are “just better roles for them.” women’ should be.
Progression: Lashana Lynch’s character Nomi was codenamed 007 during the final film when Craig’s Bond left MI6 and went off grid
In the buff: Daniel Craig joked that he is more naked than the women in James Bond No Time To Die
Daniel joined several stars who have spoken out against a woman’s portrayal of Bond, including the franchise’s producer Barbara Broccoli.
The actor said, “There should just be better roles for women and actors of color.
“Why would a woman play James Bond if there should be a role as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”
He said the addition of Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge to the writing team was to ‘spice it up’, but she was a Bond fan so ‘she had no intention of taking him in a different direction’ .
Multiple actresses supported Daniel’s claim that Bond should be played by a male actor, including Die Another Day star Halle Berry, who said on Entertainment Tonight in 2017: “That series is steeped in history… you know, Ian’s stories Fleming. I don’t think you can turn Bond into a woman.’
Producer Barbara also said on Good Morning Britain in 2019: ‘We need to make films about women and women’s stories, but we need to create female characters and not just turn a male character into a woman for a gimmick.’
No Time To Die introduced the first female 00 agent, played by Lashana, leading to calls for the next Bond to be played by a woman.
Iconic: It remains unclear who will take over as Bond, with speculation that an actress or person of color could be chosen for the role (pictured in character in 2015)
Bets are in full swing on which actor will replace the old favourite.
Luther star Idris Elba is a huge fan favorite, but he’s recently stressed that he has no interest in playing James Bond, talking about the “stretched middle finger and nod” to the spy in Luther: The Fallen Sun.
The actor, 50, stars as the titular John Luther in the first big-screen installment of the TV franchise and has long been touted as Daniel Craig’s replacement.
In a scene in the film, Luther refuses a martini, Bond’s favorite drink, at a moment that creator and writer Neil Cross describes as radio times as ‘a middle finger extended and a wink’ to Bond.
Speaking to Radio Times, Idris says: ‘The martini line is a bit cheeky, isn’t it? I was like ‘Neil, are you sure you want to put that in?’
However, he also insists that the references to Bond in the Luther film are not his attempt to audition for the British spy.
Having his say: Idris Elba has insisted he has no interest in playing James Bond when he talked about the ‘stretched middle finger and a nod’ to the spy in Luther: The Fallen Sun
Role: The actor, 50, stars as the titular John Luther in the first big-screen installment of the TV franchise and has long been touted as Daniel Craig’s replacement
Idris said, ‘My Bond audition? Oh my god, no! I’ve been saying no for years!’
Idris gives his opinion on whether he thinks Luther is better than Bond and says diplomatically, “Not ‘better’, no.” Luther is equally endearing, equally sexy and great to behold visually.
“But Bond comes from a universe where espionage was the way to capture. Luther comes from the world where you bang on the door, ‘Are you in there? I’m coming in.’
“I think Luther fits a bit more with a modern villain than someone who takes over the world.”