David Oyelowo Signs On To Play James Bond ,

David Oyelowo

For years, audiences have been asking if we'll ever get a non-white actor playing James Bond. Now we will... though not on the big screen. British-born actor David Oyelowo (Selma's MLK) will read the audiobook edition of Trigger Mortis, the new James Bond novel by author Anthony Horowitz.


Oyelowo told The Guardian that the estate of original Bond author Ian Fleming's approached him about doing the new book. "I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really special," he said. "I am officially the only person on planet Earth who can legitimately say: 'I am the new James Bond'."

By that definition, though, he is technically not the first black actor to portray Bond in auditory form. That would be Hugh Quarshie, who narrated the most recent edition of Dr. No. Still, it's a step closer to seeing someone other than a white European play him!

Idris Elba's name has been suggested as a top contender to play the next James Bond, and Oyelowo said he'd be perfect for it. "A titan on screen, [Elba] has all the qualities that you'd want in a James Bond," he told The Guardian. "Because films and TV affect culture, a black Bond would be a cultural event ... a statement ... beyond just entertainment."