London, 09 June 2026
British actor Idris Elba has laid out in an interview with GQ magazine why he always considered the years of speculation about succeeding Daniel Craig as James Bond to be unrealistic for himself.
Elba's View of His Own Role
Elba said he had „always considered it unrealistic" that he could be cast as 007. „Ich habe das immer für unrealustisch gehalten", the actor told the magazine. At the same time, he acknowledged that the persistent rumors over the years had nevertheless flattered him: „Die Gerüchte hätten ihm dennoch geschmeichelt." With that, Elba responded to one of the longest-running debates in recent cinema history.
Just last month, Elba had told People magazine that he now considered himself too old for the role. The 53-year-old, who grew up in London and whose parents come from Sierra Leone and Ghana, is known from series such as „The Wire" and „Luther." His potential casting as Bond was a perennial topic in the international media for over a decade, without any official confirmation ever materializing.