Idris Elba Suggests He Isn't Handsome Enough To Play James Bond

As speculation that Idris Elba will be the next actor to portray James Bond reaches fever pitch, the actor himself has entered the debate in an agreeably glib fashion.

Taking to Twitter, Elba posted a perhaps less than flattering self-portrait, with the accompanying text, “Isn’t 007 supposed to handsome? Glad you think I’ve got a shot! Happy New year people.”

The rumours linking Idris Elba to the 007 franchise have been so persistent this past year or two, it’s hard to pinpoint where they began. The actor has generally been gracious about the idea, neither dismissing it nor entirely accepting it.

Elba told Digital Spy in July 2013, “It’s not something that I actually hope to come to fruition. It would be lovely if it did, but it’s a rumour.”

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Later, in December 2013, the current Miss Moneypenny Naomie Harris - also Elba’s co-star in ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’ - took responsibility for the speculation, telling Esquire that she had first suggested the casting to journalists.

However, in a later interview on ITV’s Lorraine the actor seemed anxious to put the speculation to bed, bluntly declaring, “it’s a rumour that’s gotten out of control, basically. But that’s all it is, there’s no truth in it whatsoever.”

This, for some time, appeared to be the end of it - until the recent Sony e-mail hack scandal revealed that studio executive Amy Pascal had told Eon Productions that Elba should take over in the role when Daniel Craig steps down.

Perhaps inevitably, many commentators have not taken kindly to the suggestion that a black actor could take on the hitherto white character, with outspoken right-wing US radio host Rush Limbaugh most recently condemning the rumours.

This writer for one still finds it unlikely that Elba will indeed take over from Craig, but not because of his ethnicity. Given that he’s already 42, and Craig is not expected to relinquish 007 for at least another few years, Elba would surely be just a little too old to take on the part once it becomes vacant - not to mention that he might already be too famous, as Eon tend to prefer comparatively lesser-known actors in their iconic role (the character is the star, after all).

Either way, with Craig’s fourth outing as 007 in ‘SPECTRE’ still the best part of a year away - and potentially at least one more film for the sixth Bond actor after that - there’s sure to be no end of further speculation on potential future Bond actors in 2015, including but not limited to Idris Elba.

'SPECTRE' will open in UK cinemas on 23 October 2015.

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Picture Credit: Idris Elba/Twitter, Eon Productions