Idris Elba rejects 'woke' James Bond casting push, warns audiences 'won't go for a Black male' in the role

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Herbie J Pilato has written a new book on the iconic 007 actor, "Connery, Sean Connery – Before, During, and After His Most Famous Role." When it comes to stepping into the role of James Bond, Idris Elba is being "realistic." In a new interview with British GQ, the 53-year-old actor opened up about the longstanding rumors about him being cast as the next 007 and explained why the audience won't go for a "Black male." "I’ve always felt that it’s not a realistic thing," he told the outlet. "James Bond was written how he was written for a reason. But I was complimented by it. And also, I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don’t go for that. Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won’t [all] go for a Black male, an African male, playing Bond. That’s not what they like in their culture. Period." JAMES BOND'S ‘FRESH, EXOTIC NEW’ VISION S