Helen Mirren says the next James Bond “has to be a guy,” arguing that recasting the role as a woman would change the character into “something else.” In an interview published Monday, the 80-year-old Oscar winner described herself as “such a feminist” while maintaining that the franchise’s central figure should remain male; former 007 Pierce Brosnan, interviewed alongside her, agreed.
Her remarks land in a debate that resurfaces whenever speculation ramps up about the post–Daniel Craig era. The producers who steward the series have previously said Bond can be of any race but remains male, a position echoed by Craig in 2021 when he urged studios to create equally formidable roles for women rather than gender-swap existing icons.
The films have nonetheless broadened the world around Bond. In 2021, Lashana Lynch portrayed Nomi, an MI6 agent who holds the 007 designation while Bond is retired in No Time to Die, a creative choice that sparked conversation about expanding female characters without rewriting the lead. Discussions about the next Bond continue, but the producers have signaled a preference for an actor in his 30s while emphasizing that “whiteness is not a given.”
Mirren has weighed in before on the franchise’s portrayal of women, calling the series “born out of profound sexism” earlier this year and suggesting that real-life stories about female espionage deserve more attention. Her latest comments align with that view: admiration for the craft and endurance of the brand, paired with a preference to develop original women-led characters rather than retrofit a 70-year-old spy for modern aims.
