James Bondalum Monica Bellucci speaks about her time as a Bond girl. The actor played Lucia in the 2015 filmSpectre,opposite Daniel Craig as the titular 007 spy. The film also had a supporting cast of Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, and Dave Bautista. At the time, Bellucci’s portrayal as the Bond girl became a heated discussion due to her age, in which she became the oldest Bond girl in history. She did not feature inNo Time to Diewhen Craig headlined the role one last time.
In an interview withVanity Fair, Bellucci reflected on her time working onSpectreas the oldest-ever Bond girl. Check it out below:
The actor explained that when her agent called to tell her that director Sam Mendes was interested in casting her for hisJames Bondmovie, she assumed she was being considered for the role of M. She instead was told that the filmmaker wanted to meet her"for a James Bond girl," who would be “the oldest Bond lady ever.“Bellucci referred to this casting as “kind of revolutionary” and a sign that “things are changing” in the industry for how women are viewed. Check out the full quote from Bellucci below:
Being in a Bond movie is almost a secret dream for many actresses. And what happened to me was so funny. Because my agent called me and told me “Monica, do you want to laugh?” Sam Mendes wanted to meet you for James Bond. And I was 50 at the time. And I said “he wants to meet me for M?” Because of course, I was so happy to play M, I have so much respect for Dame Judy Dench. But he told me no, he wanted to meet you for a James Bond girl. Donna Lucia Sciarra, the oldest Bond lady ever.
To be in the movie for me, at my age, was kind of revolutionary. And it was. Because, the subject came out of a time, where it was really something new that a mature woman could be close to James Bond. Also because Daniel Craig is younger than me, in reality. It proves that things are changing, and we are in a new era, and women have such an impact in society. And I think it is an example, this movie.
How The Latest James Bond Era Changed Up Its Casting Strategy
Female Roles Became Elevated & More Sophisticated In The 90s/2000s.
Bellucciwas 50 years old when she was cast as Bond girl Lucia. The previous record-holder was Honor Blackman, who played Pussy Galore at the age of 37, so Bellucci broke this record by a significant margin of 13 years. The fact that theSpectrestar is four years older than Craig is also significant in emphasizing her point that times are changing enough for a more “mature” woman to be considered in a sexual light for a Bond movie.
James Bond: The 10 Best Bond Girls, Ranked By Bravery
Bond girls are generally not expected to be brave or heroic but a few of them have distinguished themselves by having more guts than the rest.
Her casting as Lucia is not the only unexpected direction that the modernJames Bondmovieshave gone casting-wise. The Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, known pseudonymously as M, became an important role in Bond movies for years but typically has been played by male actors. These actors included Bernard Lee and Robert Brown. In 1995, theBond universe changed this by casting revered actor Judi Dench in the M role, continuing her tenure untilSkyfall,when Ralph Fiennes eventually inherited the title.
The casting of both Bellucci and Dench in the ’90s and post-2000 Bond era helps prove the point that times are changing for the portrayal of women on screen. For theyet-untitledBond 26, it could take the bold move of casting a woman in the 007 role. Based on the casting requirements listed by producer Barbara Broccoli, however,the next Bond casting will be more conventional with a young male actor in his late 20s or early 30s. Even with a maleBond, it will be interesting to see how Broccoli and the rest of her team cast other key roles.
Lashana Lynch’s Nomi played the first female 007 agent inNo Time to Die.
Spectre
Cast
Spectre, released in 2015, is the 24th installment in the James Bond series, starring Daniel Craig as the legendary MI6 agent. As Bond follows a cryptic lead from his past, he uncovers the shadowy organization SPECTRE, while M faces political challenges to protect the secret service’s existence.
