Kanye West Supports Idris Elba as Next James Bond: 'Yeezus' Rapper Claims Casting 'Pacific Rim' Actor Would be "Visionary"

It seems like everyone has an opinion on who should follow up Daniel Craig as James Bond, and as controversy floats around on whether or not black actor Idris Elba should be able to hold the coveted title, he has gained one major supporter in the celebrity community: Kanye West.

This week, the outspoken Yeezus rapper spoke to U.K. newspaper The Sun, throwing his support behind Elba for the Bond role, calling the possible casting of a black Bond as "visionary."

"I know Idris a little bit and he is a big talent. The movies he has been making are special, and when the role for James Bond comes up it needs to be his," West said (via The Daily Mail). "James Bond is a role made for British actors and you won't find a British actor who has the talent of Idris. To be honest you won't find many anywhere who have his talent. Artists should be visionaries. A black James Bond would be visionary no doubt. Something that 30 years ago would have seemed crazy should now be something that is a real possibility."

Elba's name has been circulating as the next James Bond for years, but the proposition recently came to light again in the Sony hacking case, when executives suggested that the Pacific Rim actor could follow-up Daniel Craig as the world's most famous spy.

As for Elba himself, he's keeping things lighthearted. Over the weekend, he posted a silly selfie to his Twitter page, saying that James Bond is supposed to be "handsome."

Tags
Kanye West
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics