Helen Mirren says she's opposed to female James Bond because character is 'born out of profound sexism'
British actress Helen Mirren said that she isn't interested in a female James Bond because she "never liked" the character, whom she says was "born out of profound sexism."
"The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn't," Mirren told The Standard, after being asked about Amazon MGM Studios gaining creative control of the British spy film franchise.
"I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond," she continued.
Mirren told the UK outlet that she's against turning the character into a woman, believing that there are plenty of real stories of female spies throughout history that could be told instead.
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"The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism," said Mirren.
"Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service. They always have been. And very brave. If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world," she added.
Mirren is currently starring in the Paramount+ streaming series, MobLand, alongside former Bond star Pierce Brosnan, who played the titular role between 1995-2002.
Although the actress admitted she was never a big fan of James Bond, she had high praise for Brosnan and his successor, Daniel Craig.
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"I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan," Mirren said, adding that he was "one of the nicest people you'll ever have the pleasure to work with," before calling Craig, "a very lovely, gracious person."
The next Bond has yet to be cast as the franchise's creative direction is embroiled in turmoil, according to a December report in the Wall Street Journal.
Amazon purchased MGM Studios in 2022 and gained creative control of the Bond franchise in February.
For the past several years, rumors have swirled that the British spy's identity could be changed, prompting backlash from former Bond actors and the franchise's longtime producer, Barbara Broccoli.
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According to the report, Broccoli told friends she believes that Bond "should always be played by a man, and should always be played by a Brit."