Gemma Arterton Calls Female James Bond "Too Outrageous" and Defends Past Bond Role

Gemma Arterton, who played Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace (2008), believes a woman taking on the role of James Bond would be "too outrageous" and go against tradition. In an interview with The Times, the 38-year-old actress compared the idea to a man playing Mary Poppins, suggesting that audiences may not embrace such a change after over five decades of male Bonds.

“They talk about it, but I think people would find it too outrageous,” she remarked. “Sometimes you just have to respect the tradition.”

Reflecting on her brief appearance in the franchise, Arterton expressed surprise at the lasting attention her five-minute role received. “I don’t regret doing a Bond film, but I am perplexed why it has followed me around,” she said.

Arterton has previously criticized the portrayal of Bond women, acknowledging issues with their depiction. In Quantum of Solace, her character is seduced by Bond (Daniel Craig) after the pair check into a five-star hotel instead of the planned hostel. Speaking to The Sun in 2020, she admitted receiving criticism for her role, which she attributed to being a young actor trying to make ends meet.

“At the beginning of my career, I was poor as a church mouse,” she explained. “I still get criticism for accepting Quantum of Solace, but I was 21, I had a student loan, and it was a Bond film.” She later added, “Strawberry should have just said no and worn flat shoes.”

Since Daniel Craig’s retirement from the franchise, speculation about the next James Bond has been rife. Rumored contenders include Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, and current favorite Aaron-Taylor Johnson. Craig, who starred in five Bond films, recently described Quantum of Solace as a challenging production, revealing they had started filming with little script preparation. “We should never have started production,” he told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that he had to write many of his own lines.