Damian Lewis believes it’s time for a ginger James Bond.
The ‘Homeland’ star – who has previously been tipped to replace Daniel Craig as 007 – fears his hair colour may prevent him taking on the role of the suave spy but he thinks it would be good for "diversity" to have a redhead in the role.
The 48-year-old actor also feels that he will be too old for the job when Daniel, 51, departs the iconic franchise after ‘No Time To Die’.
He said: "From a diversity point of view, don’t you think it’s about time we had a ginger Bond?"
He added to Radio Times magazine: "By the time they finally finish making the next Bond film. I’ll be old, decrepit."
Idris Elba, 47, Aidan Turner, 36, Cillian Murphy, 43, and Richard Madden, 33, are among the names who have been suggested to play Bond.
Meanwhile, Damian recently said 007 is a ‘bad’ spy, but that is part of what makes the character so appealing.
He said: "The great thing about Bond is how bad a spy he is, and how brilliant he is in recovering his position.
"Bond makes endless mistakes. That’s what’s fun about him, and then he has to do something extraordinary to recover himself."
He will present the documentary ‘Damian Lewis: Spy Wars’ with the first episode airing on ‘History’ on October 7.
Damian presents and produces the eight-part series, which covers some of the most significant spying operations of the past 40 years. The programme features undercover agents who were persuaded to tell their story for the first time.
The series features reconstructions of espionage during the ‘Cold War’ and ‘war on terror’ and includes insight from groups such as ‘MI6’ and the ‘CIA’.
Damian feels that spies do not have the glamour of ‘007.’
He said: "I find the reasons for turning traitor or being a hero, depending on your view, are often quite grubby and banal."
Damian Lewis wants a ginger James Bond
