Nigerian, David Oyelowo is new James Bond

Actor David Oyelowo has been asked by the Ian Fleming estate to record the
audio book for Trigger Mortis, a new officially commissioned Bond book written
by Anthony Horowitz.
Oyelowo’s previous roles include Henry VI for the Royal Shakespeare Company
– which made him the first black actor to play an English king in a major
Shakespeare production. He also played the MI5 officer Danny Hunter in the
BBC TV drama Spooks and was acclaimed for his performance as Martin Luther
King in Selma.
Oyelowo will play Bond, and other characters, in the audiobook version of
Trigger Mortis, written by Anthony Horowitz and commissioned by the Ian
Fleming estate.
Describing himself as “very honoured”, Oyelowo said: “I am officially the only
person on planet Earth who can legitimately say: ‘I am the new James Bond’ –
even saying that name is the cinematic equivalent of doing the ‘to be or not to
be’ speech.”
He added: “I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really
special.”
Born in Oxford to Nigerian parents, his performance as Henry VI drew critical
acclaim, but also “very real resistance”, particularly from one academic.
Oyelowo said: “He said that we open ourselves to ridicule if we allow black
people to play English kings when English kings have never been black. But I’ve
never seen an Egyptian play Cleopatra … so it’s a nonsensical statement.”

So interesting.

So interesting.