Lashana Lynch has responded to the backlash over reports she’ll play a female version of 007 in new Bond outing No Time to Die.
According to reports, the British actor – best known for her role in Captain Marvel – will be introduced as the spy in a “pivotal” scene near the beginning of the film.
While Lynch didn’t confirm the reports, she called the backlash to the news “sad”.
“It makes me feel quite sad for some people because their opinions, they’re not even from a mean place – they’re actually from a sad place,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
She added: “It’s not about me. People are reacting to an idea, which has nothing to do with my life.”
Lynch said the backlash doesn’t “dishearten” her.
No Time to Die, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig, has been co-written by Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
It was revealed earlier this year that Christoph Waltz will reprise his role of Spectre character Blofeld after the actor was spotted on the film’s set in Pinewood Studios.
The film will also star Rami Malek, Ana de Armas, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear, Ben Whishaw and Jeffrey Wright. It’ll be released on 3, April 2020.
Find a first look at Bond in action here.
