James Bond is getting an outspoken gay friend to keep him in check
James Bond is getting an “outspoken” gay friend to keep his heteronormativity in check in the 21st century.
Anthony Horowitz, who has taken the Bond novel series over from original author Ian Fleming, spoke about trying to keep the character’s womanising, 1950s attitudes alive in the era of political correctness.
According to the Telegraph, the author revealed that that the character will receive a gay friend in upcoming novel Trigger Mortis as part of an attempt to keep him relevant for a modern audience.
Former Bond girl Pussy Galore will be returning to the series – and as previously revealed, she has come out as a lesbian.
Horowitz explained to RTE: “One of the challenges of writing the book was that attitude that a heterosexual man can change a woman’s life and make her go weak at the knees.
“That’s something that would be challenged, I think, in the 21st century.
“So it’s how do you square that circle? How do you remain true to the original creation and concept and yet at the same time not offend people in the 21st century?
He continued: “If you read Trigger Mortis, you’ll see actually there is a little twist to the tale in that particular story which I think sort of pays him off for his slightly patronising attitude.”
Explaining the ‘tricks’ he uses to keep Bond true to himself while writing a book for the 21st century, Horowitz said: “I think the answer is that in the book I remain true to every one of Bond’s things.
“He does smoke cigarettes, he smokes many many cigarettes. But then what I do is I nudge him with a little reference to a newspaper article he happens to glance at which just reminds him that these things will give him cancer.
“With women, he has this sort of patronising carnal attitude with them which is absolutely accurate to the Bond of the books. But then by creating very strong women he is given quite a run for his money and his attitudes are challenged.
“I also gave him a very outspoken gay friend, who chides him and says ‘come on Bond, you’re living in the 20th century now not the Middle Ages’.”
