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Roger Moore has strongly defended himself on Twitter from accusations of racism after quotes from an interview with Paris Match seemed to suggest that he thought Idris Elba shouldn’t play James Bond as he wasn’t “English-English.”
Moore was forced to respond after The Daily Mail translated quotes from the Paris Match interview, which alleged that Moore had said: “A few years ago, I said that Cuba Gooding Jr. would make an excellent Bond, but it was a joke! Although James may have been played by a Scot, a Welshman and an Irishman, I think he should be ‘English-English.’ Nevertheless, it’s an interesting idea, but unrealistic.”
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Moore, who played Bond in seven movies, denied he’d ever said “something racist” about Elba and that his real views were lost in translation. Moore went on to add that he simply agreed with the journalist who interviewed him when he asked if “Bond should be English,” and his response has been taken out of context.
An interview I gave to Paris Match implies I said something racist about Idris Elba. That is simply untrue. #Lost in translation.
— Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) March 28, 2015
@FrediSmith it’s not true at all.
— Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) March 28, 2015
@FrediSmith when a journalist asks if ‘bond should be English’ and you agree, then quotes you saying it about Idris Elba its out of context
— Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) March 28, 2015
Luther star Elba, was born in Hackney, London, and has emerged as a strong contender to replace Daniel Craig as Bond, with the star addressing the rumors on Twitter. British newspapers have speculated that other actors in the frame include Dan Stevens, Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy.
Craig will next appear as the British superspy in Spectre, the 24th film of the series and his fourth outing. The film is released Nov. 6.
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