MOVIE NEWS – The Fast and Furious star says it would be boundary-breaking if he was the next James Bond 007.

Luke Evans, the star of Fast and Furious 6 and The Fate of the Furious movies gave a heartfelt response to the rumors about him playing James Bond role, which suggest he is the frontrunner to portray the legendary spy. Evans, who played Owen Shaw in the Fast and Furious series as well as Gaston in the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie is one of the many names mentioned as Daniel Craig’s successor. Others include Taron Egerton (Kingsman), Dev Patel, Henry Golding (Snake Eyes), Will Poulter and the long-awaited Idris Elba.

Evans shared his sweet reaction to the James Bond rumors while speaking on a panel at the Wales Screen Summit (via BBC). As he said as a “Welsh boy” and “a gay kid from the valleys” he thinks that if he was 007 agent it would be “boundary-breaking”, although the Fast and Furious star did not confirm the role and said that “nobody knows” who got the coveted role yet. Here is Evans’ full quote:

“Welsh boy…a gay kid from the valleys [to be considered] sends a message to my country’s youth [that] anything can happen.” To those who bet on him being Bond Evan said “they might win some money but don’t come to me when you lose it.”

Why Luke Evans Would Be A Good Choice For James Bond

As evidenced by the copious casting rumors selecting the next 007 is no easy feat. Craig’s performance sets a high bar for his successor as his Bond movies from Casino Royale to No Time to Die were generally well received. Evans an accomplished but relatively lesser-known actor could be an unexpected but strong choice for the role. Since we haven’t seen him much in other major franchises (apart from the Fast and Furious series) he would give an opportunity to not just see an actor as James Bond but to have an actor be Bond for the new generation.

Evans also raises an important point in his own grateful reaction: representation. With the next Bond casting, Hollywood can change the image of what it means to be a Bond man. Perhaps 007 will not be played by the smooth white heterosexual man that we usually see. Rather, we could see a woman playing Bond, a Black man, or a gay man like Evans. The possibilities still seem endless about the next James Bond actor. Every time it seems that the field narrows down when some actor or another denies rumors or fan ideas another actor’s name comes up in Bond talks. Although Evans did not promise anything about his Bond future he certainly did not deny anything either so fans’ suspicion can continue.

Source:BBC