Broccoli began working with the Bond films at the age of 17, starting in the publicity department for The Spy Who Loved Me. As the movies continued, she worked her way up to assistant director, associate producer, and then producer. Now, Broccoli finds herself at the helm of the entire property, holding the rights to the famed British agent under her company Eon Productions.
While speaking with the Girls On Film podcast, host Anna Smith asked Broccoli about the possibility of a gender-bent Bond who uses they/them pronouns. To this, Broccoli said:“Who knows? I think it’s open, you know? We just have to find the right actor.”Her comments come amid calls for a more diverse leading agent, with franchise fans and industry veterans alike advocating for the next Bond to be played by a woman, a Black actor, and/or gay actor. This is the first time Broccoli has publicly discussed Bond’s gender as being nonbinary. In the past, she has adamantly stated that she doesn’t think the man with a license to kill should be a woman with a license to kill. She thinks characters should be made for women, and women shouldn’t be inserted into men’s roles.
The overall consensus from fans seems to be that future Bonds should keep a suave character, but pulse with a different perspective than the long list of white cisgender performers who have tackled the part before. Out of the many requirements Broccoli seemingly has for Bond, one of her highest caveats appears to be that the British hero must remain that: British. She’s stated that Bond can be from any background as long as he is British.
We look forward to seeing who will step into the action role and evolve the franchise.Photos Courtesy of Social Media
