Selma actor David Oyelowo is about to make history…
For years, audiences have been asking if we’ll ever see a non-white actor play James Bond. As you may recall, earlier this year, rumors circled that heartthrob Idris Elba was being eyed to take on the role. Now, it appears that British-born actor David Oyelowo will read the audiobook edition of Trigger Mortis, the new James Bond novel by author Anthony Horowitz.
“I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really special,” he said. “I am officially the only person on planet Earth who can legitimately say: ‘I am the new James Bond,'” Oyelowo told The Guardian of the estate of original Bond author Ian Fleming approaching him about taking on the project.
While this is absolutely a good look for the 39-year-old actor, he’s technically not the first Black actor to portray Bond in audio form. That would be Hugh Quarshie, who narrated the most recent edition of Dr. No. Still. But we’re still a step closer to seeing someone other than a White European play Bond… James Bond.
As for Elba taking on the big screen role of Bond, Oyelowo said he’d be perfect for it. “A titan on screen, [Elba] has all the qualities that you’d want in a James Bond,” he told The Guardian. “Because films and TV affect culture, a black Bond would be a cultural event … a statement … beyond just entertainment.”
