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Former Bond girl Gemma Arterton doesn’t think a woman should ever play 007

“Isn’t a female James Bond like Mary Poppins being played by a man?” Arterton said in a recent interview

Senior Culture Editor

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Gemma Arterton attends the Royal World Premiere of "Quantum of Solace" (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Gemma Arterton attends the Royal World Premiere of "Quantum of Solace" (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Over the years, non-male actors like Gillian Anderson, Charlize Theron, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Emily Blunt have been mentioned in online chatter as to who could best put a spin on the role of Agent 007 in a modern James Bond film but, according to a former Bond girl, seeing a woman follow in the footsteps of Sean Connery and, most recently, Daniel Craig, would be "too outrageous."

In an interview with The Times, Gemma Arterton — who played Strawberry Fields in the 2008 Bond film “Quantum of Solace” alongside Craig — expressed her staunch views on the matter, saying, “Isn’t a female James Bond like Mary Poppins being played by a man?”

While no woman has played James Bond, the franchise introduced Nomi, a female 00 agent, in "No Time to Die" (2021). Played by Lashana Lynch, Nomi briefly holds the 007 designation after Bond's retirement, marking a significant step toward diversifying the franchise, but Arterton is of the belief that the role should continue to be given to a man, saying, "Sometimes you just have to respect the tradition.”

In a 2021 interview with Radio Times, Craig fielded questions on the possibility of a woman as his successor in the role, saying, "The answer to that is very simple. There should simply be better parts for women and actors of color. Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?”

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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