Helen Mirren has no love for the James Bond franchise.
The British actress told The Standard that she “never liked” the films due to their “profound sexism.” In turn, Mirren explained why there should not be a female Bond amid the franchise shake-up at Amazon MGM after longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson ceded creative control in a billion-dollar deal with the studio. Mirren instead believes that the true stories of real women spies should instead be brought to the screen over a gender-swapped Bond.
“The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond,” Mirren said. “The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism. Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service. They always have been. And very brave. If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world.”
However, Mirren does respect at least two former 007s: Daniel Craig and her “MobLand” co-star Pierce Brosnan.
“I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan,” Mirren said. “Obviously, he’s gorgeous and everything. And I think he’s fabulous in ‘MobLand,’ but he also happens to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with. And indeed Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit. Again, a very lovely gracious person.”
After the Amazon MGM deal, producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are heading up the Bond franchise. While there have been no announcements yet about where the franchise will go next, the concept of a female Bond has been floated for more than a half-century. Broccoli previously said that under her tenure, though, Bond would always be male.
“No Time to Die” actress Ana de Armas agreed with Broccoli in 2022, saying, “There’s no need for a female Bond. There shouldn’t be any need to steal someone else’s character, you know, to take over. This is a novel, and it leads into this James Bond world and this fantasy of that universe where he’s at.”
De Armas added, “What I would like is that the female roles in the Bond films, even though Bond will continue to be a man, are brought to life in a different way. That they’re given a more substantial part and recognition. That’s what I think is more interesting than flipping things.”
