Golding is bookies' favourite for next James Bond role
They saw the possibility that was opened.They never thought that a film like that would ever get made with an (Asian) cast and crew involved, and so it’s been like an avalanche of support. I think this is the strongest the Asian community has been for a long, long, long time. Henry Golding, English-Malaysian actor
LONDON: British bookmakers have named Henry Golding as a favourite to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond.
Also named as possible replacements are Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hardy, Richard Madden and Idris Elba.
Among bookmakers here, Golding is so hot that they had just slashed his odds of playing 007 in Bond 26.
Ladbrokes have slashed the odds on the English-Malaysian actor to 20/1 by both Ladbrokes and Coral.
Sitting comfortably next to Golding are Outlander star Sam Heughan, Lord of the Rings actor Orlando Bloom, and Boardwalk Empire star Jack Huston.
Idris is still in the running despite having ruled himself out of the race.
Golding, who had shot to fame for his role in Crazy Rich Asians, is still struggling to cope with his newfound fame.
Commenting on this, and the fact that total strangers are approaching him to offer congratulations, Golding said: “It’s the fact that people come up to you and portray a very sincere sort of ‘thank you’ for making a film that they saw representation within it for themselves. They saw the possibility that was opened. They never thought that a film like that would ever get made with an (Asian) cast and crew involved, and so it’s been like an avalanche of support. I think this is the strongest the Asian community has been for a long, long, long time.”
Golding is currently filming two movies, the holiday romance Last Christmas, which stars Emilia Clarke and reunites him with his Crazy Rich mother Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh, and Guy Ritchie’s Toff Guys, opposite Matthew McConaughey and Kate Beckinsale.
Marvelled Golding about the great reception he’s been enjoying: “I was just at an event yesterday and there were a lot of young leading men … coming up to me, from the Asian community, and were like, ‘Dude, you really broke some ground. Much respect.’”