"It became about race": Idris Elba opens up on not playing James Bond

Idris Elba has managed to make headlines recently for being considered a potential candidate for playing the wildly popular character of James Bond. Ever since Daniel Craig shockingly stepped away from his role as the British spy character after continuing its legacy for almost 25 years, the franchise's fandom has been speculating about who will take on the iconic role in the future.

While nothing has yet been confirmed about the casting for the role, Elba has already become a fan-favorite choice. In fact, the entire James Bond fandom has been very vocal on social media for wanting to see the actor lead the franchise.

In a recent appearance on the SmartLess podcast, hosted by Will Arnett, Sean Hayes, and Jason Bateman, the actor revealed that he felt "super complimented" about being considered for the role of Jame Bond by the audience. However, Elba also disclosed that he has been the target of racist backlash online.

"Essentially, it was a huge compliment that every corner of the world except some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered. Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting because it became about race. It became about nonsense, and I got the brunt of it."

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Idris Elba says that he would no longer describe himself as a "Black actor"

During his appearance on the SmartLess podcast, Elba revealed that he felt very honored to even be considered for the role. The actor expressed his gratitude to the audience and revealed that he considers the character to be one of the most important figures in the acting industry.

He explained how he first reacted to the speculation about him playing the role and said:

"I was like, 'This is crazy!' Because James Bond… We're all actors and we understand that role. It's one of those coveted roles. Being asked to be James Bond was like, okay, you've sort of reached the pinnacle. That's one of those things the whole world has a vote in."

However, due to the racist backlash on social media, Idris Elba mentioned on the podcast that he would no longer describe himself as a Black actor. He stated that these labels don't let actors grow. The actor further explained that there is more to him than his skin color as an actor, and he should be recognized for his talents and abilities rather than the color of his skin.

While some lauded the actor for his brave comments and stood up for him, many on the internet have taken offense to them and have accused him of belittling the importance of race. The actor, however, took to Twitter to clarify his statement and explained:

"There isn’t a soul on this earth that can question whether I consider myself a BLACK MAN or not. Being an ‘actor’ is a profession, like being an ‘architect’ , they are not defined by race. However, If YOU define your work by your race, that is your Perogative. Ah lie?"

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Idris Elba's Hijack is ready to premiere on Apple TV+

Idris Elba's new drama thriller series Hijack is all set to release today, on June 28, 2023, on Apple TV+. The official synopsis of the series, as per Apple TV+, reads:

"Told in real-time, the show is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers."

Alongside Idris Elba, the series will also be featuring several other actors including Christine Adams, Neil Maskell, Eve Myles, Archie Panjabi, Max Beesley, Kate Phillips, and Ben Miles, among many others.