13 badass queer actors who should replace Daniel Craig as James Bond
Jonathan Bailey, Ncuti Gatwa or Andrew Scott to play James Bond with ease. (Getty)
The race to replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond might finally be over, as Nocturnal Animals star Aaron Taylor-Johnson has reportedly been offered the iconic role.
Yet, if Taylor-Johnson hasn’t signed his name on the dotted line, there’s still time for a queer actor to take on the infamous 007 mantle.
In the almost six decades worth of Bond movies, several actors have played the iconic character, including Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. However, Craig tops them all as the longest-serving Bond actor in history, as he’s been in the role since his debut in 2006’s Casino Royale.
But Craig has now drunk his last shaken-not-stirred martini as 007, following 2021’s No Time To Die. Craig said in footage that went viral on social media that portraying Bond was “one of the greatest honours of my life”, and he “loved every single second of these movies”.
Technically, there are no hard-and-fast requirements when casting Craig’s successor. However, the actors that have portrayed 007 have traditionally hailed from the UK or a commonwealth country – George Lazenby is from Australia. They have all shared similar attributes; they’ve all been white, male and straight. Aaron Taylor-Johnson ticks that box, too.
Yet the franchise has evolved over the years, and there’s nothing is stopping the James Bond writers from pushing the boundaries and letting an LGBTQ+ person take the wheel of the Aston Martin.
If Taylor-Johnson ends up turning the role down, here are some of our favourite queer actors who would be perfect contenders.
Elliot Page
Honestly, need we say more? Elliot Page is a serious actor who has a wide range of talent to fit any genre.
Plus, he’s proven that he can take on action roles after starring in Inception, provides pure chaos in The Umbrella Academy, and do you remember him in that stunning Met Gala suit? He was oh-so swoon-inducing and definitely Bond-worthy.
Andrew Scott
All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott would be an interesting choice as a super spy. The Irish actor achieved widespread recognition for his role as Jim Moriarity in BBC’s Sherlock, for which he won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor, but has since taken on a variety of roles, from Fleabag‘s resident “Hot Priest”, to a savage scammer in upcoming Netflix drama, Ripley.
He may have already played an extraordinary Bond villain in Spectre, but he certainly has the range to take on 007, too. Just saying.
Jonathan Bailey
Bridgerton babe Jonathan Bailey has oodles of charm, bags of charisma, and we’re pretty sure a closetful of sharp suits. Look how good this man looks in a blazer and bow tie and tell us he’s not Bond-worthy?!
That’s without even getting onto his impressive acting résumé: he’s tackled dark political thrillers (Fellow Travelers, Jack Ryan), standout comedy series (W1A, Chewing Gum, Crashing), and very British dramas (Broadchurch, Hooten & The Lady). Give him the job and see what he can do with it.
Ncuti Gatwa
Look, if there’s anyone qualified enough to play a literal legend of British TV and film, it’s someone currently playing a literal legend of British TV and film. Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa said it best himself: playing the Doctor is like playing James Bond, in that they are both so culturally significant that it takes a lot to do the job right.
And if there is anything Gatwa has proven so far with his Doctor Who stint, it’s that he knows how to do the job right.
Richard Armitage
Fool Me Once star Richard Armitage was one of the most recently rumoured actors reportedly in the running for the covered 007 role, although he said that he’d rather play a villain than the spy himself.
Yet even if Armitage turned the role down this time, he’d definitely be perfect as a future Bond. He knows how to tackle a beloved franchise (he’s starred in The Hobbit and Ocean’s 8, remember, and has become a mainstay in Harlan Coben adaptations), and has the steely stare of someone who knows how to take down a bad guy.
Colman Domingo
We know, we know: American actor Colman Domingo doesn’t have the British thing down, but something he certainly does have? The range.
Following an Oscar-nominated role as gay civil rights activist Barnard Rustin in Rustin, and an Emmy-winning stint in brutal teen drama Euphoria, Domingo is in huge demand. He’s got a Michael Jackson biopic to work on, plus he’s still promoting lesbian comedy film Drive-Away Dolls. Yet if he’s got time to squeeze in a role as Mr Bond, we know he’d kill it.
Luke Evans
The Welsh actor has long been a current fan-favourite for the role and certainly checks all the boxes for the next Bond actor. He’s from the UK, absolutely gorgeous in a suit, and is capable of taking on advanced action sequences.
He was even highlighted by James Bond star Ben Whishaw, who plays the technical mastermind Q in the series, as a good candidate for a gay 007. So he’s already got the stamp of approval from someone close to the series.
Billy Porter
If we’re going to talk about an actor with the range to play bond, Billy Porter is a definite shoo-in.
Porter has built his substantial reputation on his impactful performances including Pose’s Prey Tell and Behold Chablis in American Horror Story: Apocalypse.
Plus, there could be nothing more magical than Porter bringing his signature style to the role and throwing away all the drab formal wear that James Bond has traditionally worn. Just think about the possibilities!
Indya Moore
While we’re talking about Pose, Porter’s co-star Indya Moore would also be a fantastic choice for a queer James Bond.
The trailblazing actor recently starred in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom as longtime character Karson, who was originally a Green Lantern villain. So you know that they could take that energy playing a DC baddie and channel it into a stunning spy that breaks all the rules.
Kristen Stewart
Stewart has everything to take on the Bond role. She is a phenomenal talent, looks stunning in a tailored suit and is no stranger to high-voltage stunt work.
Plus, she’s already been a super spy. Remember Charlie’s Angels?
Elizabeth Banks, who also starred in the film, said in a 2019 press call about Charlie’s Angels that Stewart was a “super badass in the movie” and “did so many of her own stunts” including fight training and stunt driving.
Matt Bomer
While we’re talking about people who look good in a suit, can we forget Matt Bomer? The actor dominated screens as the suave thief Neal in USA’s series White Collar and was one-half a crime-solving duo.
Plus, he’s no stranger to playing serious roles having been featured in Fellow Travelers, American Horror Story and Doom Patrol.
Tessa Thompson
Don’t lie to yourself – Thompson would be perfect as James Bond. She’s come out with hit after hit appearing in Heroes, Creed, Men in Black: International and Westworld.
The queer actor also portrays the queer superhero Valkyrie in the Thor franchise and across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So she’s the perfect person to save any swooning damsel in distress or storm a villain’s secret lair with or without the aid of a winged horse.
Seyan Sarvan
Sarvan is no stranger to stealing the show from her male co-stars. The actor stunned viewers as Lizbeth Farooqi – a Muslim, queer, female lawyer – in It’s a Sin.
Her character took a no-nonsense approach in the show and refused to stand down to those who refused to listen to reason. And that’s the kind of energy that would make Sarvan a powerhouse 007.
