A woman should be the next Bond. Here are 8 options
Since rumours surfaced that Daniel Craig isn't interested in staying on as 007, no obvious choice for casting the next James Bond has emerged. Just about every reasonably suave British actor's name has been thrown into the ring, with Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba and head-scratcher Damian Lewis (aka Sgt. Brody from Homeland) emerging as frontrunners.
So what's a movie studio to do? What about — gasp — cast a woman?
Gillian Anderson has thrown her name into the ring, tweeting a poster of herself as "Jane Bond" with the hashtag #NextBond, which is just the kind of bravado necessary for the role. And while Anderson would make a fine Bond, if the role could go to a woman, it's wise to look at all the options. Below are eight women — all British, all over 40 — who meet the criteria for 007.
The Next 007
Elizabeth Hurley
Innate sex appeal is essential Bond, and who is sexier than Elizabeth Hurley (the voice! those eyes! that hair!) — or more due for a comeback?
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Zeta-Jones has the brains, beauty and twinkle in her eye that are spot-on for Bond. Also, it’s high time she was on the other end of that Zorro undressed-by-sword scene.
Archie Panjabi
Anyone who has watched Panjabi play badass private investigator Kalinda Sharma on The Good Wife can easily imagine her as the type of 007 who is strong-willed, excellent at getting people to spill their secrets and willing to break the rules to save the day.
Rachel Weisz
She can definitely keep a secret, as her surprise 2011 marriage to current 007 Daniel Craig has proven. While Weisz has made clear she never wants to be a “Bond girl,” she has expressed a desire to take on roles traditionally written for men. Bonus: She’s already been cast as a British intelligence agent in an off-Broadway production of Plenty.
Kate Beckinsdale
Beckinsale delivers as both tough-as-nails bad-guy-fighting heroes (see: Underworld franchise) and snooty aristocratic types (see: Love & Friendship). It's an unusual but winning Bond combination.
Thandie Newton
Incredibly intelligent, hauntingly beautiful and unafraid to stand up for what is right, Newton has what it takes to make a memorable 007.
Victoria Beckham
Spice World may be the sole credit on Beckham's filmography but being Bond isn’t about delivering an Oscar-worthy performance. The role is 80 percent looking damn fine in tailored clothes, 10 percent looking fierce and maybe 10 percent acting.
Helena Bonham Carter
Sure, she’s eccentric, but what better way to throw enemies off your scent? Plus, Bonham Carter has played everything from a chimp to the Queen of Hearts, so a future in action films isn’t so hard to imagine. Mysterious and unpredictable, Bonham Carter would make a fine 007.
More:
The burden of being a female star in a Woody Allen film
Women over 40 ruled the red carpet at Cannes
5 reasons every 19-year-old should read Lena Dunham’s new book
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