Former Bond girl Halle Berry has weighed in on one of the most debated topics in Hollywood… whether the next 007 should be a woman. And her answer might surprise some fans.
While attending the Cannes Film Festival as a jury member, the 58-year-old actress… who starred as Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson opposite Pierce Brosnan in 2002’s Die Another Day…shared her honest thoughts on the future of the James Bond franchise.
“I’m not sure turning 007 into a woman is the right move,” Berry said. “It sounds progressive in 2025, but I don’t know if it’s the right direction for that particular character.”
This isn’t the first time Berry has spoken out against the idea of gender-swapping the iconic spy. Back in 2017, she made a similar argument, emphasizing the importance of creating new powerful roles for women instead of reimagining traditionally male characters.
“I love strong female leads, but James Bond has a deep-rooted history with Ian Fleming’s vision. I don’t think Bond should be rebranded as a woman,” she explained. “Why not create a new female agent with her own identity and legacy?”
Berry isn’t alone in her stance. Valerie Leon, who appeared in The Spy Who Loved Me, previously dismissed the idea of a female Bond, calling the character a male fantasy figure. “Men aspire to be Bond, and women fantasize about him. It wouldn’t have the same appeal,” she said.
Gemma Arterton, another alum from Quantum of Solace (2008), echoed similar sentiments just this year. “Changing Bond’s gender feels as off as casting a man to play Mary Poppins,” she remarked, calling the concept absurd and out of touch with the franchise’s roots.
Despite Amazon MGM Studios gaining control over Bond’s creative future, no official updates have surfaced about the next actor to take on the role following Daniel Craig’s final performance in No Time to Die (2021).
For now, it seems that the idea of a female 007 still faces heavy resistance—not from audiences alone, but also from the women who helped shape the franchise’s legacy.
