To think that saying Idris Elba isn't suitable to play Bond because he's 'too street'...

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... is actually a racist comment, which - however 'jokingly' said - is absolutely not an appropriate thing to say in an office environment?

I'm on week two of a new position and between this kind of thing and other dodgy goings-on am debating whether to hand my notice in.

WIBU to mention my discomfort to line manager (who heard whole thing, laughed along etc.) or alternatively to just cut and run? Am I being a bit sensitive?

Op- there's no way of proving that the street or gangster comment was made with any racist emotion behind it.
The dog in glasses comment was rude. Personally I would have addressed it directly as soon as I heard it.
Has there been anything else? These two things are not enough to give me an impression of there generally being a nasty office culture.

Can you imagine the feather-spitting if, god forbid, a woman was cast?

I see no reason why bond can't be black. We are in an age where reboots in different universes are a common way of reinventing an idea or series. Doctor Who is a woman now I believe? Thor is a woman?

I mean ffs they let tom cruise play jack reacher.., now theres bad casting...

wwll obviously bond isn't supposed to be 'street'. Can idros elber actually act (I genuinely don't know, very bad with actors names) or can he only act 'street'?

I don't think Idris would be a good Bond at all. He just doesn't fit the part of a suave, debonair, old money posh boy. He's too rough around rhe edges - as plenty of other actors (black, white, sky blue pink) are. And no - saying somebody is too street or gangster isn't racist. In fact if I think of London gangsters suiting/in gangster movies all the people I think of are white!

Yes, he's too old anyway.

Oh and no a black actor shouldn't be cast as Bond. All characters should stay the same race they were when they were created.

I'm not in favour of Hiddleston. I thought he was very good in The Night Manager though.

Idris Elba aside I quite like Damien Lewis for it. He'd do a great job of conveying the arrogance and 'devil may care' elements of the character. I quite liked Brosnan in the role for the same reason. My best Bond though was Moore - but in the early days before it all got a bit slapstick. He conveyed the suave coldness perfectly - I always found Connery a bit too emotional. I think Lazenby would have done a good job had he stayed in the franchise though.

All characters should stay the same race they were when they were created.

Why though?!

Can you imagine the feather-spitting if, god forbid, a woman was cast?

Oh good Lord can you imagine?! I think Olivia Colman would do a great job. Tilda Swinton would too - they are both proper chameleon actors and I could see them turning the character into something really interesting.

All characters should stay the same race they were when they were created.

Why? We've already demonstrated that the current casting of Bond bears little resemblance to the original creation.

Anyway I am going to have to bow out for a bit as this thread is sucking all of my time and attention away from getting some work done!

Okay well my preference is for characters to stay the same race and gender as when they were created. I don't want to see a yellow Elmo. I want the good old Elmo I've always known.

Elmo?! I don't think anyone is interested in playing Elmo. Maybe some people need to broaden their imaginations.

Why do the characters always have to change though?

"Can you imagine the feather-spitting if, god forbid, a woman was cast?" Bond is not a woman...create a new character by all means, but I don't see how a woman could be cast. I still don't see how a black man could be cast.

'Street' and 'urban' are words that have become synonymous with 'black culture' (in quotation marks, as the idea of some monolithic black culture is, quite frankly, idiotic).

I'm not sure if anyone has said this, but Daniel Craig is not even remotely posh. This was not an issue that was raised when he was being cast as Bond. People were wittering on about him being 'too blond', not his turn as a gangster in Layer Cake (a great movie, btw - watch it if you haven't got round to it).

Sean Connery, the ultimate Bond, was/is neither posh nor English. Everyone is fine with it.

Idris Elba gets pitched as Bond and everyone and their Aunt Beryl (looking at you, Roger Moore), is suddenly aghast because he's 'too street'. But some of you people are claiming it's not racism. I despair.

OP

Would I be justified in accusing you and many others on this thread of sexism for not considering a woman for the Bond role because she was the wrong sex and therefore the wrong fit for the part? After all M has changed sex. Are you being sizeist for not considering a fat actor or a short actor for the role? Are all the comments about age an example of ageism?

Saying someone is "street" is not rascist. In fact I think YOU could be accused of rascism for suggesting it as an attribute which can only be applied to black people.

Casting actors in roles is all about casting the right person for the part. Bond is posh. Posh people come in all shades. But Idris is not one of them.

Err, what?

After watching The wire, where he plays an actual American gangster then yes he's too gangster. He's pretty awesome in it. But as for Bond? If any black actress could do it then it would be him. But still think bond should be a British male white actor.

I think there are a number of issues being mixed up here

Could a black actor play James Bond? In my view - Yes.
Is Idris Elba the right black actor to play James Bond? In my view -No. Partly due to his age and partly due to his back catalogue of work meaning I have difficulty seeing him in the Bond role.
Is Idris Elba a good actor - Yes

By "street" did the people in the OP's office mean "black" I strongly suspect so.

But still think bond should be a British male white actor.

Why? Bond is a fictional character.

"Why? Bond is a fictional character."

Who was written as a white man

Ok I'll bite. So any person that comes from a working class background, who trains as an actor, cannot play a "posh" character?

As has already been said, Connery's parents were a cleaner and a factory worker. Moore's Father was a police officer. Lazenby's parents worked on the railways and in a shop. Dalton's Dad worked in advertising. Brosnan's Dad was a carpenter. Craig's Mum was a teacher and his Dad ran a pub. Do point me in the direction of their Eton and Fettes educations, Saville Row and gentleman's club upbringings. The whole point of acting is that you are acting.

I give up. There are some really unpleasant class and race undertones to this thread.

Who was written as a white man

Completely irrelevant. He's a fictional character and can therefore be interpreted however anyone wants.

Lazy
From memory none of them were very established big screen actors prior to taking the role so they were more of a blank canvas. I don't think a white actor who was known for playing working class roles would necessarily be able to take on the Bond role either i.e. I don't think Michael Caine could have taken the role.

I think you need to grab some smelling salts or maybe just get over yourself.

Oh and no a black actor shouldn't be cast as Bond. All characters should stay the same race they were when they were created.

Well that's that out there in plain sight