For the most part, Americans respect the idea of English icons in cinema. We don’t try to take the roles that the United Kingdom made famous. Can’t say the same about the UK but alas. So why two very American actors were asked about James Bond…we all asked “Why?”
Recently, two of Hollywood’s top actors were asked about the potential of taking on James Bond. The problem is that one is from Texas and the other is from California and why would any American play that part? An Irishman, a Scotsman, an Australian, and a lot of Brits have taken on Bond but they’re all UK and UK adjacent and we cannot say the same about us Americans. There’s famously a war about it.
Chad Powers star Glen Powell was asked if he’d take on Bond and his response was pretty simple. “I’m Texan. A Texan should not play James Bond,” Powell told The Hollywood Reporter. “My family and I joke around, I can play Jimmy Bond, but I should not be playing James Bond. Get an authentic Brit for that job. That’s who belongs in that tuxedo.”
As if a Texas boy being asked wasn’t weird enough, then Caught Stealing star Austin Butler was asked the same question. Again, he’s an American boy! Why would either of these actors be in the conversation for the role?
“Would I play James Bond? I don’t think that would be a good idea. Because I’m an American. I can do an accent, but that would be kind of sacrilegious. Those movies meant so much to me, but I think that it’s gotta be somebody who is from [England].” Butler did say that he would consider playing one role in the world of James Bond. “Villain? That would be alright. I’d do that.”
We don’t need to steal their roles, that’s what British actors do to us
To be a little shady, I will point out that we have had many British actors take on roles that are very American. Some have worked out for the better. For example, I think that Tom Holland is the best Peter Parker and second in line would be Andrew Garfield. Two British actors over the one American who has played Peter in the live-action world. But others have not worked that well. Looking at you, superhero from middle America that was played by one British man (but also a lot of Americans) and it shows who the Brit is.
My point with this is that American actors, with the exception of Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes in the Guy Ritchie movies, don’t tend to take on big UK icons. And that’s fine we don’t need their roles and I’m glad that both Powell and Butler made it clear that American men shouldn’t take on James Bond.
If they want to play Bond’s villains though, that is something that I think we all can get behind and support.
(featured image: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images/Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
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