James Bond: Casting A Gay Actor For A Modern 007?

Practice: Ian Fleming created Bond as a heterosexual womanizer. The point of a franchise business is to expand with the times, not calcify right into a gallery item.

Bond’s Evolution: Time for Change?

For years, James Bond has actually been the motion picture embodiment of a specific kind of masculinity: tailored tuxedos, lethal beauty, and a bedroom door that never seems to remain shut. 7 stars have played him given that 1962, all directly– or a minimum of all directly in the public eye. Isn’t it time we let an openly gay actor slip into the tux and readjust the cufflinks?

Casting an openly gay Bond would be a cultural reset button. It would certainly tell the industry: stop treating credibility as an obligation. It would certainly inform target markets: your heroes can look like you, enjoy like you, and still save the world prior to the credit ratings roll.

Cultural Impact: Redefining the Hero

This isn’t concerning revising 007 as a gay male (however, truthfully, that would be interesting). It has to do with exploding the outdated idea that the only men that can play straight charming leads at work franchise business are straight themselves. Bond is a duty improved threat, intelligence, and personal appeal– qualities that have no sexual preference.

And the cultural advantage? Substantial. Envision the message sent out to numerous queer youngsters (and grownups) worldwide: You can be the hero. You can be the dream. You can stand in the center of the globe’s most popular action franchise business and still live authentically. It’s a PR bang dunk for a brand name that, for all its success, has actually typically been accused of hanging back the times.

Bond has constantly advanced. Casting an openly gay actor would be the following rational evolution– and a loud signal that masculinity isn’t specified by that you rest with.

The concern isn’t whether the globe is ready. The inquiry is whether the producers have the nerve to stay in the globe we in fact populate– one where queerness doesn’t restrict personal appeal, allure, or heroism. The day a honestly gay actor strolls onto that collection, martini in hand, the Bond franchise business will ultimately be as modern as it likes to pretend it is.

Bond does not belong to those markets alone– he belongs to the globe. And the globe, particularly the following generation of spectators, increasingly doesn’t care regarding a star’s sexuality as long as the movie’s excellent.

Rock Hudson had to pass away before the reality concerning his sexuality might be spoken openly. And also now, young stars like Taylor Zakhar Perez maintain their private lives opaque, aware that one statement could close doors.

Breaking Barriers: Hollywood’s Double Standard

It would certainly likewise require Hollywood to finally go down among its most relentless dual criteria: straight stars can play gay and win Oscars, yet freely gay stars rarely get cast in high-octane straight functions. That’s not “run the risk of monitoring”– it’s a relic of prejudice spruced up in marketing-speak.

Rob Shuter is a celeb reporter, talk-show host, former publicist, and writer of The 4 Word Answer. He holds Naughty Yet Nice with Rob, a top 20 iTunes podcast. Follow his most recent columns at robshuter.substack.com.

7 actors have played him because 1962, all straight– or at the very least all right in the public eye. Isn’t it time we allowed an openly gay star slip right into the tux and change the cufflinks?

Casting an openly gay actor would be the next rational evolution– and a loud signal that manliness isn’t defined by who you sleep with.

And the globe, especially the next generation of moviegoers, increasingly does not care regarding an actor’s sexuality as long as the flick’s great. The day an openly gay actor strolls onto that set, martini in hand, the Bond franchise will finally be as modern as it likes to act it is.