The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lazenby wants Elba to be handed licence to thrill
The one-time James Bond actor sees no reason why Luther star would not shine
Former James Bond star George Lazenby has backed Idris Elba to be the next actor to play 007.
The Australian, who starred in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, said there would be “a lot of people scratching their head” if a black actor was cast as the character, created by Ian Fleming, but he believed hiring Elba would be a “good idea”.
There has been much speculation about who will replace current Bond star Daniel Craig after he said he would rather “slash my wrists” than play the fictional spy again, with Tom Hiddleston and Damian Lewis also linked with the role.
When asked whether a black actor could play Bond, Lazenby, 76, told the Press Association: “That’s beyond me. “I mean, why not? That’s what I say. “But then on the other hand, you’re going to have a lot of people scratching their head going ‘ James Bond wasn’t black’.
Asked whether Elba would make a good James Bond, Lazenby replied: “Why not? It would be a good idea.”
Lazenby was speaking at the 10th anniversary Britweek gala in Los Angeles.
The Australian’s backing came as one of the favourites for the role, Tom Hiddleston, added another plaudit to a growing list.
His sharp-suited character Jonathan Pine from the recent BBC adaptation of The Night Manager has been voted the most stylish male TV character, just ahead of Elba’s tough-talking London cop John Luther.
In a survey commissioned by ITV’s Lorraine ahead of the show’s High Street Fashion Awards, Mr Selfridge, played by Jeremy Piven in the eponymous ITV series, came in third, while Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock took home fourth place.