Movies

Why Can’t the Next Bond be #AsianBond?

Yesterday, the movie world was shocked (not really) to learn Daniel Craig had turned down a small fortune to return to the big screen as James Bond, leaving a 007-sized hole for the franchise. Of course, the most obvious successor to the Aston Martin is Idris Elba, preferably in a Christopher Nolan-directed 007. Unfortunately, he’s “too street” to be considered, whatever that means. (We know what that means). So why not give an Asian actor a license to kill? Thus, #AsianBond was born on twitter. It’s not like there isn’t a plethora of Asian Brits who could take the role. In fact, I came up with nine. The only caveat is that they all hail from the UK, so sorry John Cho.

1. RAHUL KOHLI

It all started when I tweeted that Rahul Kohli, who plays Ravi on iZombie, could be a potential replacement, which the actor quickly retweeted. Before starring on The CW’s hit zombie drama (based on the Vertigo comics), he had small roles on British television. He’s also a bona fide nerd of color with a passion for all things video games, comics, and Star Wars. All traits he shares with Ravi on iZombie. But he can be debonair when he wants to be, and we all want him to be.

2. DEV PATEL

The next actor who came to mind for a potential Bond replacement was Dev Patel. He’s best known for starring in the lead of the Oscar-sweeping phenomenon Slumdog Millionaire, though he wasn’t nominated (funny how POC actors in movies about POC characters never get nominated). Patel’s nerd credentials include a turn in the forgettable Chappie and best forgotten The Last Airbender, but we won’t hold that against him. Besides, the guy looks great in a tux.

3. RAZA JAFFREY

Next on the list is my personal favorite to play Bond (I mean, look at the guy!), Raza Jaffrey. He’s probably best known, Stateside at least, for roles on Homeland and Code Black and had a brief stint on Elementary as Joan Watson’s beau (even though it was short-lived, seeing two Asian American characters in a romantic relationship was life-affirming). But in the UK, Jaffrey is famous for his role as Zafar Younis on the BBC show Spooks, known over here as MI-5. I mean, dude’s got serious experience playing a British spy. Sign him up!

4. NAVEEN ANDREWS

Never mind the fact that this guy should have been considered for Doctor Strange, but how about Naveen Andrews be considered for all roles? Not only does the London-native have the prerequisite charisma to play James Bond, the guy perfected the art of blending sex and danger as Sayid on Lost. Sure, he’s busy being a part of the cast of Netflix’s Sense8 right now, but I’m sure he could make it work if MI-6 ever came calling.

5. BENEDICT WONG

Speaking of Doctor Strange, next on the list is AN ACTUAL CELTIC ASIAN PERSON WHO WAS CAST IN THAT MARVEL MOVIE (go figure!). Benedict Wong will play… uh… Wong in Marvel’s next chapter this November. To play Bond, Wong might have to drop some of the weight he put on to play Kublai Khan in Netflix’s Marco Polo and as the dumpy astrophysicist in The Martian (you mean, there were actual Asian people in The Martian?), but the guy cleans up pretty well.

6. TONY LEUNG CHIU-WAI

Okay, this one’s a bit of a cheat. Of every actor on this list, Tony Leung (aka Wong Kar Wai’s greatest muse) is the only one who doesn’t hail from the British Isles (I mean, he was born in Hong Kong when it was still a British colony, and he speaks English with a bit of a British accent. That counts, right?). Plus, he’s in his mid-50s, making him the oldest person on this list, too. But, god, look at him. Imagine that face saying, “Bond. James Bond.” That said, this man is an absolute legend in Hong Kong, and doesn’t need to be James Bond. Only I need him to be James Bond.

7. KATIE LEUNG

Who says 007 has to be a man? Last time I checked, women can kick ass, drink martinis, drive fast cars, have sex, take out evil multinational organizations, and be cheeky. I can picture Katie Leung, who you all know as Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films. Lots of people said Dr. Watson couldn’t be a woman, but just look at the work Lucy Liu is doing on Elementary. Sure, she’s from Scotland, but that didn’t stop Sean Connery from being the definitive Bond, did it?

8. ARCHIE PANJABI

While Leung might be better suited for a “Young Bond” series, she isn’t the only actress capable of gender-bending the role. Emmy-winning Archie Panjabi, late of The Good Wife, has proven she is a badass and has the steel to be a cold-blooded super-spy who prefers her martinis shaken, not stirred. Come on, look at that photo, and tell me you can’t picture her packing a Walther PPK in her right hand.

9. RIZ AHMED

Maybe you prefer a James Bond with a little bit of an edge? I mean, whoever’s next will be replacing Daniel Craig’s icy take on the role, after all. They don’t come much cooler than Riz Ahmed. The London-based former rapper has spent the last ten years, winning accolades in Britain’s indie film scene. This year, though, his star is going to break through the stratosphere when he plays a Rebel spy in the first standalone “anthology” Star Wars film, Rogue One, aka the most diverse Star Wars ever.

Of course, any good Bond will need a villain. So who better than Jason Alexander, aka George Costanza, himself as Odd Job.

So, there you have it. Nine actors (all British) who could be the next James Bond. I don’t see how you could disqualify any of them. But I’m sure they’ll find a way. They always find a way.

23 thoughts on “Why Can’t the Next Bond be #AsianBond?”

  1. tony leung could do this in this sleep but i doubt they would want anyone who isnt british. i love riz but dont know if he could pull off the posh london accent, if he could be a great choice. i personally would like gugu mbata-raw

    1. Ooh, such wonderful choices. I love the idea of Gugu being Bond. I like Tony Leung, and he would tear it up, but that’s just cheatin’, fellas! Riz is pretty hot, though.

      1. its cheating in so many ways lol. he’s pretty much has played this role in like 50 films already lol tokyo raiders anyone? which was my first tony leung film but yeah he is just MADE for those kinds of roles. not a star wars person but for my boys donnie, diego and riz i will suffer through a star wars movie….AT HOME

  3. I could see the very handsome and British, Sen Ramamurthy playing Bond or Theo James, who is a British citizen of Greek, English & Scottish ancestry, but get this—he played Mr. Kemal Pamuk, a Turkish Sultan’s son on Downton Abbey.

    1. I mis-spoke, Sendhil Rananurthy is AMERICAN. And, i can still see him playing BOND!

    2. Greeks and Turks have intermarried for centuries, not that farfetched. But I think Idris Elba would be the best bet for a Bond of color.

  4. And don’t forget, Ms. Moneypenny, seriously needs her own movie, too. We’ve seen Naomie Harris in action in Skyfall, 28 Days Later and that phone ad.
    I always thought of Bond as more of a title then a name. (I know it’s not but it feels as if it should be.)

    1. My money’s still on Idris Elba, too! I bet that writer Trigger Mortis called Elba “too street” because he watched too much of Luther but . . . .

  7. So, which of you would pony up the 35 to 50 million dollars to make the movie and test your theories in the market place.

    Remember “New Coke”

  9. I love this list so much. I’m here for Rahul or Naveen, or actually any of them on this list as Bond. Ugh. Also for another genderbent Bond suggestion – Laila Rouass? I loved her in Primeval back when it was airing, and I think she’d be great.

  11. Years ago, after seeing Yun-Chow Fat in The Replacement Killers, I thought he would have been a perfect 007.
    I think there was some buzz around his name before Daniel Craig was selected

  12. Whatever happened to Chow Yun Fat? I thought he was gonna become a huge Hollywood Superstar.

  14. I too should think if they write a James Bond who is Asian he should be half Asian perhaps on his mothers’ side.

  15. Pingback: Star Wars Rebels of Color: Details on the POC Characters of Rogue One – thenerdsofcolor
  16. Pingback: Ten (or More) People Who Proved 2016 Wasn’t a Total Disaster – thenerdsofcolor

Comments are closed.