Although Idris Elba has been considered a front-runner to take over the role of James Bond after Daniel Craig, the author of the latest book in the Bond series, Anthony Horowitz, doesn’t think the British actor fits the bill.
If you’re playing catch up, rather than simply saying he’d prefer someone else take on the role, Horowitz described Elba as “too street” to play “suave” Bond, which caused a social media storm.
“Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other Black actors who would do it better,” Horowitz said in an interview with The Daily Mail. “For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part. It’s not a color issue. I think he is probably a bit too ‘street’ for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.”
After bashing Elba, Horowitz went on to praise Daniel Craig’s Bond character, calling him a “terrific Bond,” adding that his favorite flick in the post-Sean Connery series is Casino Royale. “Of the films after Connery, it is easily the best. Fantastic,” he gushed. “A total return to the gritty seriousness of it.”
Naturally, the backlash, which included claims that Horowitz is a “racist,” urged the author to issue an apology. He wrote via Twitter:
I’m really sorry my comments about Idris Elba have caused offence [full statement attached] pic.twitter.com/UD6ouA45Uv
— Anthony Horowitz (@AnthonyHorowitz) September 1, 2015
Now, Elba has responded to the slight insult in the classiest way possible. Hit the flip to check it out.
