Ex-Bond Star Causes Outrage Claiming Next James Bond ‘Has to Be White’

Former Bond actress Maryam d’Abo has stirred controversy with her comments about who should take over the role of James Bond after Daniel Craig. D’Abo, 65, who starred as Kara Milovy in the 1987 film The Living Daylights, said she believes Bond should remain a white man.

When asked if a black actor could play Bond, she said, “Then don’t call it Bond. Call it something else. You can have a wonderful black hero, but then don’t call him James Bond.”

She added that she wants the films to stay true to Ian Fleming’s original books. “Personally, I would respect Ian Fleming’s books and keep James Bond being English and working for His Majesty’s Secret Service,” D’Abo explained.

However, she is open to other actors taking the role if they fit the character. She mentioned Jacob Elordi as an example, saying, “He is Australian, but so what?”

D’Abo played Milovy, a cellist involved with the KGB, opposite Timothy Dalton. The film followed Bond as he pursued her while completing a mission, building one of the memorable Bond romance storylines.

Casting for the next Bond is still uncertain. Black British actors, including Aaron Pierre, have been mentioned as strong candidates. Pierre, 31, voiced Mufasa in Mufasa: The Lion King and has Jamaican, Sierra Leonean, and Curacaoan roots.

Idris Elba was also considered but at 53 is likely too old for the role, which is expected to go to someone in their 30s. Other rumored actors include Callum Turner and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Turner reportedly told his friends he expects to get the role, while his fiancée Dua Lipa may perform the next Bond theme.

The upcoming film will be directed by Denis Villeneuve with a screenplay by Steven Knight, creator of Peaky Blinders. Producer Barbara Broccoli previously said the new Bond “will be a man, will likely be in his 30s,” adding that “whiteness is not a given.” Broccoli and her half-brother Michael Wilson sold the Bond franchise to Amazon last year in a billion-dollar deal, giving up most creative control but remaining co-owners.

D’Abo’s comments highlight how divided fans are over keeping James Bond traditional versus modernizing the character. While some value fidelity to the original novels, others want a more inclusive approach. What do you think? Should the next Bond stay true to the old formula, or is it time for a fresh take? Share your thoughts in the comments.