NEVER SAY NEVER: STARS UNLIKELY, BUT PERFECT, TO PLAY 007

▶ Bollywood Bond? Arab secret agent? Formidable female spy? Why not, says Nyree McFarlane

Will he, won’t he? Idris Elba’s Twitter dance continues over whether he will suit up as James Bond after Daniel Craig bows out once he’s wrapped Bond 25, due out next year.

And while we’d be delighted to see Elba in the role – he was a force to be reckoned with in

Luther – all of this social media teasing is not helping. Apart from Elba, other obvious choices include British actors James Norton and Tom Hardy or Irish thespian Michael Fassbender.

British odds sites have Elba at a 2/1 chance, Hardy as 3/1 chance and, rather depressingly, “any woman” as 12/1. (Well, fans of the franchise did freak out when Daniel Craig – as a blond – was cast in the role. But they seemed to move on from that fairly quickly, so perhaps they will get used to a woman taking the role, too).

Here are some of the less obvious choices that we think would be perfect for the role – why can’t we have a Bollywood Bond, an Arab Bond or a formidable female spy? Sure, Bond is an established white male, British character – but he was written in 1953, and a lot has changed since then. And, crucially, he’s a fictional character. Surely, we can do with him what we will? Maybe it’s time for James Bond to change with the times, it is 2018 after all.

Sacha Baron Cohen

This is truly left-of-field, yes, but Sacha Baron Cohen is an Oxford graduate and of the truly-posh ilk that Bond is traditionally associated with. And he has the acting chops to pull it off, too – so we suggest he rip off the prosthetics, get out of middle America, stop hanging out with politicians who will parrot whatever he wants them to say and turn his attention to perfecting the brooding Bond stare.

David Gandy

Yes, top model David Gandy isn’t a film actor, but neither was Aussie Bond George Lazenby (although that didn’t work out that well, with Lazenby the only-ever one-time 007). But, it’s undeniable that Gandy, 38, “has the look”. The 1.9-metre-tall model wears a suit impeccably (the brands behind Bond would love him) and he is credited with the globe’s taste in male models swinging back towards more masculine men. So one can only imagine what his magnetism would bring to Ian Fleming’s charming spy. Can he act? Do we care?

Charlize Theron

Yes, a woman. But, contrary to popular belief, that doesn’t stop the South African actress (top left) from playing a spy – she can be the seducer rather than the seduced, and kick some villains to the curb. She was phenomenal in Atomic Blonde and incredibly convincing in the movie’s vivid fight scenes. Henry Cavill can be her two-dimensional love interest, and then his career can fall under the famous “Bond girl curse”. We wouldn’t be that mournful.

Emily Blunt

Yes, call us crazy, we’re suggesting not one potential woman for the role, but two. Two whole girls in a list of eight! Save your fake outrage. Plus, James is a unisex name (as proven by model James/Jamie King). Unlike Theron, Emily Blunt has being British down pat. She’s also got the quick wit and slick one-liner timing that any Bond should have (in fact, we’d say she’s far more proficient on this front than Daniel “dour” Craig).

John Krasinski

If the idea of James Bond being played by a woman makes your brain want to implode, then, a) get a life and take a hard look at yourself and your priorities, and b) what about John Krasinski? Emily Blunt’s real-life husband may not be British, but the American actor is also deeply cool, terribly funny and rather suave (although arguably slightly less so than his spouse. But he will certainly do).

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Another British actor with the posh charm of Bond, Chiwetel Ejiofor (CBE) is a Shakespearean actor with a bucket-load of range – he’d bring elements to Bond that we didn’t even know existed. In fact, we bet he’d really work on and illuminate Bond’s childhood pain, which is something that seems to be constantly danced around but never really dealt with. He’s 41, so has at least a decade of Bond-dom ahead of him, and he has the pathos of an actor far beyond his years. We love it – casting directors, we’ve done your work for you.

Amr Waked

A regional Bond would work to, in part, counter the stereotypical roles Arab actors have had to wade through, and also, Egyptian actor Amr Waked (above right) is just plain cool. He has a beautiful booming voice – and speaks in perfectly enunciated English; he is handsome (those eyes!), but looks like he’s been punched in the nose in a tussle or two (as a realistic spy should). Plus, he was suitably dapper alongside Scarlett Johansson in Lucy.

Hrithik Roshan

Surely, it’s time for a Bollywood-import Bond? From a purely physical point of view, Hrithik Roshan (above left) has the height, the build, the hair and the cheekbones to be a spy that takes names and steals hearts. His voice is a beautiful bass and his eyes a limpid pool of all things desirable. Onscreen, he’s proven himself as versatile across genres such as action, romance and comedy; he’s well-spoken, instantly likeable and yet there’s something roguish, even sardonic about him. Plus, it’s high time we got a Bond who can dance.

Rami Malek

OK, so Rami Malek (top right) is only 37 (and he looks about 21), but the Egyptian-American actor has proven that he can step outside of his comfort zone via his uncanny portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian

Rhapsody (well, judging from the trailers at least). His character in Mr Robot is a little twitchy, but in real-life interviews, Malek comes across as really rather relaxed. He’s short, yes, but let’s be honest, so is Daniel Craig. Plus, Malek has an identical twin, which could be very handy during filming.