Idris Elba, who has been floated as a serious contender to play James Bond in the next film, was called “too street” to play the character by the book’s author.
Anthony Horowitz, the author commissioned by Ian Femling’s estate to write the next James Bond novel, told the Daily Mail he thinks Elba is just “too rough” to play the part.
“Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other black actors who would do it better,” Horowitz told the British newspaper. “For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part. It’s not a colour issue. I think he is probably a bit too “street” for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.”
Once upon a time, Elba played a gangster from the streets of West Baltimore in the Showtime series The Wire, but since then his roles have been less street oriented.
He is currently voicing characters in Finding Dory, a sequel to Finding Nemo, and a remake of Disney’s The Jungle Book.
Instead of Elba for the next Bond film, Horowitz suggested Adrian Lester, a British actor who is mostly unknown in American media, though he did play a bit role in the 1998 film Primary Colors.
Horowitz also blasted several recent Bond films featuring Daniel Craig, saying Quantum Solace “just went wrong.”
The Fleming estate commissioned Horowitz to write the newest 007 book, Trigger Mortis, which is set to release next week.
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