Pierce Brosnan agrees with Helen Mirren that James Bond is “sexist”

Pierce Brosnan has backed Helen Mirren after she said James Bond is “drenched and born out of profound sexism.”

Mirren plays the on-screen wife of former 007 Brosnan in the new Guy Ritchie gangster TV series MobLand.

She was recently 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.

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 adding: “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”.

Now, Brosnan – who previously led four Bond films between 1995 and 2002 and preceded Daniel Craig in the iconic role – has responded to her remarks telling People: “Yes, there’s a certain agreement there. But there’s a certain world and room to move within the proscenium arch of what Ian Fleming put down. So there’s always going to be conflict.”

Recently, the actor also 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 the stewardship of Amazon MGM Studios.

The 007 actor also recently expressed an interest in reprising his role as an older James Bond for a new film.

“I’ve heard of that,” Brosnan said of the idea. “Of course, how could I not be interested? But it’s a delicate situation now. I think it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie, really. I think so. It’s a rather romantic notion and idea, but I think everything changes, everything falls apart. I think that it’s best left to another man, really. Fresh blood.”

The actor also said more recently he would prefer to play Harry Potter character Professor Dumbledore over returning to the spy franchise after fans speculated that he could return as MI6 chief M.

According to British actor Daniel Mays, James Bond could be going in a new direction, with a younger actor and a retro setting.

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