MOVIE NEWS – When Spectre hit theaters, it disappointed many James Bond fans. Coming off the massive success of Skyfall and sharing the same director, Sam Mendes, it had unusual choices, including its take on Blofeld. However, some elements stood out, such as the opening sequence and Monica Bellucci’s non-traditional “Bond Girl” role.

While promoting Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Bellucci spoke to Vanity Fair about some of her past roles. At 50, when director Sam Mendes approached her, Bellucci initially thought it might be for the role of M, previously played by Dame Judi Dench in Skyfall and other Bond films. Instead, she was cast as a “Bond Woman,” making her the oldest actress in this iconic role, surpassing Honor Blackman of Goldfinger, who was 37 during production.

What Did Bellucci Say About the “Revolutionary” Role?

Bellucci’s character, Donna Lucia Sciarra, doesn’t appear much in Spectre, but her brief role has a significant impact. It’s a nuanced, though not deeply developed, character that Bellucci masterfully portrays. When asked about being the oldest “Bond Girl” to date, the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star commented:

“To be in the movie for me, at my age, was kind of revolutionary. Because, the subject came out of a time where it was really something new that a mature woman could be close to James Bond. Also, because Daniel Craig is younger than me, in reality. It proves that things are changing, and we are in a new era, and women have such an impact in society. And I think it is an example, this movie.”

Notably, Bellucci’s casting stirred some controversy back in 2015, particularly since the same franchise produced A View to a Kill, in which Roger Moore was 57 while “Bond Girl” Tanya Roberts was 35 (and playing a 29-year-old character).

But times are changing, and Spectre shows that Bond can also change as a character and a franchise.

Source: MovieWeb