Hollywood director Paul Feig has thrown his support behind Sydney Sweeney to become the next James Bond, suggesting the 28-year-old star should take on the role of the legendary British spy rather than a traditional “Bond girl”.
Having recently worked with the actress on the thriller The cleaning ladyFeig believes her intelligence and professionalism make her the ideal candidate to lead the franchise.
Asked if he might see her in a more conventional glamor role for the next film, he insisted: “I would prefer Sydney to be the next Bond. There have been some cool Bond girls, but come on, for her to be the super spy, she’s great.”
The director’s comments come at a time of intense speculation over who will replace Daniel Craig, who left the series after 2021. No time to die.
While actors like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi and Jack O’Connell have all been heavily linked to the role, the idea of a female Bond has long been a topic of discussion among fans and industry insiders.
Feig, who has hailed Sweeney as one of the hardest-working and wisest people he knows, clearly believes she has the “super-spy” qualities needed to reinvent the character for a new era.
The next 007 the film is expected to be a major production, with Dune director Denis Villeneuve at the helm and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is handling the screenplay.
As the search for the next protagonist continues, the support of a high-profile director like Feig adds a new layer of intrigue to the casting process.
Whether producers are ready for such a drastic change remains to be seen, but with Sweeney’s growing popularity, the prospect of him entering the world of international espionage is certainly getting people talking.
