Idris Elba doesn’t want to play James Bond because... racism

Even though Idris Elba isn’t trying to become the next James Bond, he’s disheartened that some people don’t think he should be considered for the spy role because he’s black.

The British actor says in the August issue of Vanity Fair, “James Bond is a hugely coveted, iconic, beloved character, that takes audiences on this massive escapism journey. Of course, if someone said to me ‘Do you want to play James Bond?,’ I’d be like, Yeah! That’s fascinating to me. But it’s not something I’ve expressed, like, Yeah, I wanna be the black James Bond.”

And he confirmed that he will not be playing Bond, nor does he like talking about it.

Because he gets ‘disheartened’ when he hears people say, ”‘It can’t be.’ And it really turns out to be the color of my skin.”

Some have speculated that the “Luther” star would make the perfect Bond. Elba says although Bond is a coveted, beloved character that he would be fascinated to play, he doesn’t need to put himself in the position of questioning whether a stint as Bond did or didn’t work “because of the color of my skin.”

Elba stars in “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” due in theaters in August.