Dame Helen Mirren reveals her thoughts about having the next James Bond played by a woman
The veteran actress says we shouldn't rule out an actress taking on the iconic role
DAME Helen Mirren has revealed that she believes a woman COULD be the next James Bond.
The 71-year-old actress, who has announced she will be taking on a role in the latest addition to the Fast and Furious franchise, Fast 8, feels that we shouldn't rule out the possibility of a woman taking on the iconic spy character.
Speculation over who could take on the role of James Bond once Daniel Craig has stepped down has been rife over recent months - with anyone from Aiden Turner to Idris Elba bit put in the spotlight as an adequate replacement.
However, she feels that despite the character being iconically a while male, it doesn't mean that people shouldn't hurry to rule out the possibility.
She told : "I think a woman could play, and has and should play, a similar character. But I think — Hm, I’m wading into murky waters here, but I wonder if the iconic-ness of James Bond… Maybe I’m wrong."
Helen herself has taken on a gender-bent role before now, playing a female version of Shakespere character Prospero in a version of The Tempest - with the name being changed to Prospera.
She revealed that she has received some less-than enthusiastic feedback for playing the part, and said: "Certain older actors who found it hysterically funny."
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The star then added: "I don’t want to find myself in the position of those geriatrics, saying women can’t play men’s roles. Let’s put it this way: There are no rules about anything. Anything is possible."
The character of James Bond appeared to have opened up last year after Daniel Craig slammed the idea of taking on the role again.
In an interview, he upset fans when he said that he would "rather slit his wrists" than become Bond again.
X Files actress Gillian Anderson appeared to throw her hat into the ring for consideration of the part by posting on Twitter a mocked up poster of her in character with the words "The name's Bond. Jane Bond."
However, at this year's New Yorker festival held in early October, Daniel admitted that he regrets the comments - and won't rule out visiting the character once again.
The 48-year-old actor said: “As far as I’m concerned, I’ve got the best job in the world. I’ll keep doing it as long as I still get a kick out of it.”
He later added: “If I were to stop doing it, I would miss it terribly.”
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