Idris Elba Talks 'Wildest' James Bond Rumor, New Role in 'Star Trek Beyond'
The actor portrays a villain in "Star Trek Beyond."
-- Idris Elba has long been rumored to be in the running to play the next James Bond, but the actor called the rumblings the “wildest rumor in the world.”
“I keep saying if it were to happen it would be the will of a nation because there hasn’t been any talks between me and the studio about any of that,” Elba said in an interview that aired today on “Good Morning America.” “But everywhere I go people want that to happen, so.”
Elba, who is 43, added with a laugh, “But if I’m really honest man, I think I’m too old for that man, running around in cars and ladies and martinis, who wants to do that? Sounds terrible.”
While Elba's fans keep the martini stirred on the James Bond rumor, Elba himself is focused on his latest movie role, playing a villain in "Star Trek Beyond."
“'Star Trek' is a big franchise and when I was a kid I was watching ‘Star Trek’ at about 11 years old, before I was even an actor or wanted to act,” he said “So to be asked to be in a ‘Star Trek’ film and to be a villain, that was an honor.
“And I wanted to do the prosthetic thing,” Elba said of his head prosthetic, which he said took four hours each day to put on.
Off screen, Elba is focused on music – he just released “Spectacle” the first single off his “Hiatus” project -- and fashion. He was a host of this year’s Met Gala and has partnered with Superdry on a new fashion line.
“I like Superdry, cool, comfortable clothes, and they were like, ‘Look do you want to influence some fashion?’” Elba said. “They wanted to do something a little more subtle. I like subtle and so, like, what I’m wearing right now we decided to do some stuff that’s really nice fabrics, affordable, looks good.”
The Idris Elba X Superdry summer collection is available now online and in stores. The fall collection will be available in September.
"Star Trek Beyond" opens nationwide Friday.