Barbie star Kingsley Ben-Adir should play the next James Bond, according to director Greta Gerwig.
Appearing on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast to discuss her record-breaking film about the iconic Mattel doll, Gerwig detailed how Ben-Adir was “so funny” in the role of Basketball Ken, while also praising his classical acting skills.
Gerwig described the scene near the end of the film where Ryan Gosling’s Ken gifts his faux-fur jacket to Ben-Adir’s Ken, who then turns around to his fellow Kens and delivers an inspiring speech as their apparent new leader.
“He can do anything, and is a very proper, trained British actor,” Gerwig said. “He can do the [Laurence] Olivier voice, so we had versions where he turned around and it was British. But that was one of those [moments], when he turned around and did that voice – everybody on set, everybody’s jaw dropped. He became this different person.
“I think the direction I gave to him, I said something like, ‘Ascend the throne’ and he was like, ‘Got it’. And he turned around and he ascended the throne. I was like, ‘Get this to whoever is making Bond, [they] need this immediately.”
Gerwig clarified that she didn’t know who was being considered to play the next 007, but praised Ben-Adir as a “great actor”.
Ben-Adir is one of the many names that have been mentioned in connection with Bond in recent years, with speculation about who will succeed Daniel Craig growing.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been tipped as the favourite to take on the role, while Henry Cavill, James Norton and Regé-Jean Page have also been linked.
However, it may be some time until a new James Bond is revealed, with franchise producer Barbara Broccoli recently admitting that there is a “big road ahead” before the character is “reinvented for the next chapter” (via The Guardian).