‘Audiences aren’t ready for a gay 007’, claims former Bond star
John Rhys-Davis thinks the idea of a gay James Bond is a ‘daft suggestion.
John Rhys-Davis – who starred 1987’s in The Living Daylights – has dismissed suggestions that the next incarnation of James Bond should be gay.
“Don’t subvert the next Bond by coming up with daft suggestions, like ‘Bond should be gay’.
“I don’t think that the audience is ready for a gay James Bond,” he told Digital Spy.
“You could try it, but it would be interesting to see what the numbers were afterwards.”
The actor – who played General Pushkin opposite Timothy Dalton’s Bond – made the prediction after lambasting Daniel Craig’s criticism of the role.
“The problem with Bond actors is they don’t realise that they have a short shelf-life in that role – they feel bitter and confused and they get stupid,” he said.
“I mean, for Craig to say, ‘I wouldn’t do another one – it’s just too much hard work and there’s not enough money in the world you could pay me…’
“I understand it, as an actor, but it doesn’t wear well with somebody living on income benefit in Manchester or some place like that.”
Rhys-Davis’ comments come after the current Bond said “anything is possible” when asked whether the iconic character can be gay.
Asked by Sky News whether Bond could be black, a woman or gay, Craig responded by saying that any of the options are a possibility.
He said: “Anything’s possible. You can do anything as long as it’s credible and it works. It doesn’t matter.”
Pierce Brosnan, who played the iconic spy from 1995’s GoldenEye to 2002’s Die Another Day, recently caused a storm when asked that Bond could be portrayed as gay or bisexual.
He initially said: “Sure. Why not?”, before adding: “I don’t think [the producer] would allow a gay Bond to happen.”
However, fellow former Bond Roger Moore disagrees – believing that the spy must remain a white, heterosexual male.
