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Bond executive producer, Barbara Broccoli, has ruled out the possibility that there could ever be a female James Bond.
The 58-year-old, who is the daughter of Cubby Broccoli, the man responsible for taking Ian Fleming’s books to the silver screen and creating the world’s biggest espionage franchise, has simply stated that the part was written for a male and should remain that way.
Speaking to The Guardian, Brocolli said: “Bond is male. He’s a male character. He was written as a male and I think he’ll probably stay as a male.
“And that’s fine. We don’t have to turn male characters into women. Let’s just create more female characters and make the story fit those female characters.”
In addition to being the franchise’s executive producer, Brocolli, who started working in the business at 17, also heads up Eon productions and has overall say in every aspect of casting for the films. She was the one who announced that Cary Fukunaga would replace Danny Boyle, after he left the 25th film due to “creative difference”, and it was she who first cast Daniel Craig in the role as the new, blonde haired spy.
Daniel Craig revealed a the new Bond for Casino Royale in 2005. Getty Images
Reasoning with the reality of the character, Brocolli agrees that Bond cannot be considered a “feminist property”, but says it’s mainly because people often “reference those early movies. It was written in the 50s, so there’s certain things in [Bond’s] DNA that are probably not gonna change.”
“But look at the way the world has changed. And I think Bond has come through and transformed with the times. I’ve tried to do my part, and I think particularly with the Daniel [Craig] films, they’ve become much more current in terms of the way women are viewed.”
Brocolli has previously received praise from Bond alumni about how she has created a safe set on Bond. Rosamund Pike, who starred in 2002’s Die Another Day, said: “I look back over my experience and think: ‘My goodness, Barbara Broccoli was way ahead of all this #MeToo movement. There wasn’t an ounce of feeling uncomfortable while I was on that set.”
Commenting to The Guardian, Brocolli said: “I was allowed to – encouraged to – grow within the company and felt very supported by my father and my brother, Michael. So I always said what I thought if I didn’t like something.
“I’m acutely aware of what actors have to go through. They have to expose the most vulnerable parts of themselves. I think you have to create an environment where people feel free to experiment and not be ridiculed.”
From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK
