New Delhi: Author Anthony Horowitz whose James Bond title Trigger Mortis hits stands on September 8th triggered controversies through his statement. In an interview to the British tabloid The Daily Mail, the novelist said that actor Idris Elba is ‘too street' to play the role of the super detective James Bond.
Idris Elba is best known for his portrayal of aspiring businessman Russell "Stringer" Bell in the HBO series ‘The Wire', Detective John Luther in the BBC One series ‘Luther', and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'.
The James Bond movies have made actors like Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery a household name around the globe. Rumours that Idris Elba might take over Daniel Craig in the next James Bond flick after 'Spectre' have been rumbling for months now. Idris has long been a fan favourite and they were looking forward to see a black man in the role for the first time. However, Anthony's remarks have displeased Idris's fans who have accused him of racism.
Here is what Anthony told the daily, “Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other black actors who would do it better. For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part. It's not a colour issue. I think he is probably a bit too ‘street' for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.”
People who were in disagreement with Anthony asked questions like what makes Idris incapable of playing the role of James Bond. They also pointed out that he is an actor who has experimented with his movies and is well suited for the role.
Now that Anthony's first Bond book is due release, we wonder if this stark remark would prove to be a bane for him.
