Lashana Lynch’s Role As 007 Reminds Us Why Hollywood’s Representation Of Black Women Is A Work In Progress
Words: Funmi Olagunju
Yes! Lashana Lynch is a dark-skinned, African-Jamaican woman with short, thick coils of hair - a sharp comparison to the chaotic standards set in assembling the “ideal” candidate in Hollywood films. However, she is not simply stirring but also shaking up the James Bond franchise for the good. The significance that our new protégé is not only a person of colour but also a woman should silence critics who thought black actor Idris Elba wasn’t up to par. Yet as Hollywood is a business, and the diversity conversation tirelessly imitates the excitement of buying a brand spanking new car, it does beg the question: was the decision to hire Lashana a business move or a creative one?
The plight of black actresses in Hollywood is nothing new as we continue to map out the ventures to achieve representation and inclusion. It should come as no surprise then that Marvel has failed to cast Storm as the dark-skinned African woman she has consistently been portrayed as in the X-Men comic books. In Harry Potter, Hermoine is described as having “bushy brown hair… brown skin” creating controversy over her race although her character was ultimately played by Emma Watson. Or how the character Rue, in Hunger Games played by Amandla Stenberg died in such a blasé manner, as we have come to expect for a “black” character; the stories are endless. By default, the fact that these potentially neglected characters tend to be people of colour could diminish the decision of using full creative license to tell authentic stories. Yet all these franchises have been mega-successful financially. Apparently, If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
Triumphantly, the fictitious ‘007’ moniker or a newer version (rumours still circulate that there might be a 001) will be played by the lovely Lashana, which is separate from the James Bond character, and remains it own unique role in the “No Time To Die” new release. Still, we must appreciate the fact that Lashana is a woman of colour taking on the iconic role and her booming resume speaks well of her: Captain Marvel (2019) and Y: The Last Man (2020). The agent identifier ‘007’ is used to preserve anonymity, the highest security clearance attainable. Essentially ‘007’ is a unifier that could be interchangeable with gender and race of course. There has been minor industry backlash against the tweaking of James Bond for example, ‘killing Eve’ actress Fiona Shaw, who is stern in her protest that James Bond must be played by a man. Ironically the series of love letters penned by the creator Ian Fleming not only describes his affairs which would inspire the fictitious escapades of James Bond but equally the real-life affairs of his wife Ann Fleming. Arguably this narrative shows there might be no definite image of 007 or James Bond and both could be played as a male or female character.
Over time we have also enjoyed the shifting image of the iconic Bond girls played by actresses including Halle Berry and most recently Naomi Harris (both women of colour). Categorically, Naomi Harris was not the typical Bond girl: as ‘Money-Penny’ she showed her capability in caressing a rifle gun with fewer interests in the enticing James Bond brood played by actor Daniel Craig. This was a stand out role showcasing the breadth of black actresses and the multi-dimensional reality of women in powerful positions. So when the media storm suggesting that Lashana’s task was to simply replace James Bond, we forgot to read the fine print. Using diversity as click-bait is a lazy tactic which will not dampen the celebratory mood of seeing a black woman establish herself in such a successful franchise.
The hope that Lashana’s role brings to Hollywood is undeniable, as this is not her first rodeo, with amazing roles perfectly under her belt. We must remember that although Lashana is only playing 007 or a variation of it, the authenticity of her story is still valid in such a powerful role. So whether Lashana’s addition to the James Bond franchise was a business decision or otherwise, the crucial message is that darker-skinned women are getting the proper visibility. Hopefully, we stop perpetuating the novelty of black actresses taking on “big” roles and instead normalising the idea of seeing talented people working successfully. Perhaps this is the intention that will snowball the effect for proper representation, telling authentic and inspiring stories of women of colour on the big screen.
Follow Lashana Lynch on Twitter @LashanaLynch and Instagram @lashanalynch .
Words by Funmi Olagunju
