New James Bond Author Says Idris Elba Too ‘Street’ to Play 007

British thriller writer Anthony Horowitz, whose latest novel adds to the 007 literary tradition initiated by Ian Fleming and adapted for the silver screen, is catching flack for comments made about whether or not Idris Elba would be a good replacement for the current James Bond, Daniel Craig.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail, Horowitz described himself as a fan of Elba’s work, but said the actor was “too ‘street'” for the role:

‘Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other black actors who would do it better.’He names Adrian Lester, star of Hustle.’For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part. It’s not a colour issue. I think he is probably a bit too “street” for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.’

Horowitz was quick to point out that it wasn’t a matter of the character’s race, noting that other black actors would probably be a better fit for the role.

Yet this wasn’t enough to deter the inevitable online onslaught, spearheaded by social media users who took issue with Horowitz’s word choice (re: “street”) and accused him of racism.

Then again, we mustn’t forget that Elba himself contributed to this ongoing discussion back in December.

UPDATE–1:57 p.m. EST: Horowitz issued a statement on Twitter apologizing for his comments.

[h/t the Daily Mail]
[Image via screengrab]

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