Idris Elba is finally addressing the rumors about him playing James Bond. The 53-year-old actor was at the Los Angeles premiere of his new movie Masters of the Universe when he spoke to People about the constant speculation. He explained that his name was never really in the mix, saying “My name’s not getting thrown out, no way. They’re going younger. And I wish them all the luck of the world. I’m really looking forward to it – it’s going to be amazing.”
Idris made it clear that he was never a contender for the role, adding “I’m honestly not in the race ever. I wasn’t in the race in the first place.” He’s talked about the Bond rumors before, like when he appeared on the Smartless podcast with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes in 2023. At the time, he discussed how the rumors made him feel, from being “super complimented” to frustrated.
Idris noted that being considered for the Bond role is a huge compliment, similar to being named Sexiest Man. However, he also experienced a negative side, with some people making the discussion about race and nonsense. Meanwhile, Idris is set to reprise his role in Extraction 3 alongside Chris Hemsworth.