Naomie Harris thinks that The Crown’s Olivia Colman should be the next Moneypenny in the James Bond film franchise.
Harris took over the iconic role during the Daniel Craig Bond era, beginning with the film Skyfall and reprising the character in the subsequent instalments, including the latest, No Time to Die.
However, now that Craig has sipped his final shaken-not-stirred martini, ushering in a new era for the franchise, it’s now all to play for when it comes to casting various long-running characters – including Eve Moneypenny, M’s secretary.
“I just think Olivia Colman, whatever she does is amazing. And I would just love to see her spin on Moneypenny,” Harris told ScreenRant.
Oscar winner Colman certainly has form when it comes to spy thrillers, memorably playing Tom Hiddleston’s pregnant, on-screen boss in the BBC One adaptation of The Night Manager, a role for which she won a Golden Globe.
!["Olivia]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/12/Olivia-Colman-d09c607.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"Olivia")
However, that’s not to say that Harris isn’t keen to reprise the role in a potential Moneypenny spin-off.
Back in 2019, it was revealed that director Barry Jenkins – who worked with Harris on the Oscar-winning 2016 film Moonlight – hoped to helm a film with Moneypenny in the lead role, but the project never came to fruition.
“It’s got to happen, please!” Harris told RadioTimes.com in a recent interview. “Barry Jenkins, who directed me in Moonlight, was pitching for a spin-off. He really wanted a spin-off. But, yeah, Barbara [Broccoli, Bond producer] unfortunately didn’t go for that idea.
“But maybe now? You know, with time maybe?”
Harris can currently be seen opposite Mahershala Ali in Apple TV+ sci-fi Swan Song.
Read more about James Bond:
- Naomie Harris didn’t believe No Time to Die ending was real: “I thought, is this a joke?”
- Naomie Harris offers her advice to the next James Bond: “Don’t get intimidated”
No Time to Die is available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD from 20th December. Visit our Movies hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something to watch with our TV Guide.