The name’s Oyelowo. David Oyelowo.
And he’s the man who just broke the James Bond color barrier. Since his creation in 1953, Ian Fleming’s James Bond has always been portrayed by a caucasian English actor. In more recent years, it’s been widely suggested that Idris Elba take over the role of Bond on the big screen, once Daniel Craig steps away from the role.
However, Oyelowo will have the honor of being the first black man to portray Bond. The Ian Fleming estate invited Oyelowo to play Bond in the audiobook of Trigger Mortis, a new 007 adventure written by Anthony Horowitz.
While speaking to The Guardian, Oyelowo said he was “very honored” and added “I am officially the only person on planet Earth who can legitimately say: ‘I am the new James Bond’ – even saying that name is the cinematic equivalent of doing the ‘to be or not to be’ speech.”
Funny he should mention Shakespeare, since Oyelowo was also the first black actor to play Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company. In the United States, Oyelowo is best known for his portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, in addition to his roles in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Middle of Nowhere, and Lincoln. Oyelowo also voices Agent Kallus, one of the lead villains on the Star Wars Rebels animated series.
Oyelowo will also portray other characters in the Trigger Mortis audiobook, which will be released on September 8th.
007 fans, are you ready for Oyelowo’s take on James Bond? Should he be considered a frontrunner to follow Daniel Craig? Take aim and let us know in the comment section below!
