Helen Mirren is not a James Bond fan: “They’re born out of profound sexism”

Helen Mirren has revealed she has never been a fan of the James Bond films, pointing to the treatment of women in the series.

The Oscar winner was speaking to The Standard ahead of the release of MobLand, where she plays the on-screen wife of former 007 Pierce Brosnan. She was asked her opinion on Amazon’s recent move to gain creative control of the franchise, and replied she wasn’t especially fond of the films as a whole.

“I have to say I was never a great ward (of Bond),” she said. “I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan. I mean, oh my god. Obviously, he’s gorgeous and everything, and I think he’s fabulous in MobLand, but he also happens to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with. And indeed Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit. Again, a very lovely gracious person”.

However, she said of the character: “The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing. It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond. The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism”.

She went on to say she would prefer the role of women in the spy industry to greater reflect history. “Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been. And very brave. If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world”.

Recently, Brosnan said it’s “a given” next James Bond actor must be British, after a memo was reported to confirm that the character would retain the same gender and nationality under Amazon’s stewardship.

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