Having been around for almost 60 years, the James Bond franchise has been required to adapt and move with the times in order to stay relevant, because some of the characteristics and personality traits seen in the early Sean Connery efforts definitely wouldn’t play well to a modern audience.
Cinema’s most famous secret agent has always been ripe for reinvention, and every actor to inherit the role over the decades has put their own stamp on the character from George Lazenby’s wooden if underrated portrayal to the harder edges of the Daniel Craig era. Throughout all of this, Bond has retained his 007 codename, but No Time to Die places a new face in the role.
With the iconic spy having seemingly retired to live a peaceful life, MI6 couldn’t just keep his seat warm until he eventually decided to return to the table, so in canon, it makes complete sense for someone to replace him. That person is Captain Marvel star Lashanna Lynch, but in a recent interview, she revealed that she’s faced racist backlash since being confirmed as the new 007.
“I am one black woman, if it were another black woman cast in the role, it would have been the same conversation, she would have got the same attacks, the same abuse. I just have to remind myself that the conversation is happening and that I’m a part of something that will be very, very revolutionary.”
James Bond is the character and 007 is the codename, and some so-called fans can’t seem to reconcile themselves with that distinction, and have been sending a torrent of abuse in Lynch’s direction based entirely on the fact that she’s a black woman. Judging by the footage we’ve seen so far, though, the 32 year-old’s Nomi looks to be a more than capable field agent and it isn’t like she’s going to be donning the tux and taking top billing in the next four of five movies after No Time to Die, which makes the online reaction all the more galling.