There have been in recent weeks and months, a lot of rumblings about who might be the next top-tier secret agent known to us as 007. Daniel Craig was the last man to star in the iconic role in No Time To Die and that will prove to be his last stint as James Bond. Who exactly replaces Craig remains to be seen, however, while others might be hoping to take up the code 007, Lashana Lynch has been there and done that. The actress starred alongside Craig in the last Bond film, and Lynch’s character Nomi had taken up the secret agent’s number when Mr. Bond went into retirement. Nomi and Bond would team up and defeat the villain in the film.
With the principal Bond character currently facing a rebranding, Lynch has spoken about what the future holds for her character going forward. Reflecting on the hit film, Lynch revealed she was glad that the film was able to capture her culture in one go. “I’m glad that my culture, Jamaica and London, were encapsulated into this one film,” she said. In a recent interview with Empire, the British actress revealed that she was as unsure as anyone else about the future of Nomi. “I signed up for one film and I don’t know if they entirely know where it’s gonna go,” Lynch said. “I genuinely don’t know anything, but it’s exciting to wonder!”
Speaking on her character, in particular, Lynch explains that Nomi is an extension of herself and many other girls like her who might not know exactly how to express themselves. “She represents awkward Brit girls like me who have a lot to say, but sometimes don’t really know how to come across,” Lynch said. “I wanted Nomi to have a little bit of that; still figuring it out. I didn’t want there to be this clean-cut version of the first 007 being a Black woman. I wanted to ensure that she was still trying to be quick on her feet, but also failing in ways and not showing it.”
Separate from her role in No Time To Die, Lynch also recently starred in the historical epic, The Woman King where the actress portrayed the fearsome Izogie. The film tells the tale of an all-female warrior regiment that served and protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th and 19th centuries. The film sees the fictional character of General Nanisca played by Viola Davis, train and mold the next generation of elite warriors to defend their homeland and way of life. The Woman King also stars John Boyega as King Ghezo, Thuso Mbedu as Nawi, and Sheila Atim as Amenza.
While we wait to see if Lynch returns when Bond returns, you can see her performance in The Woman King, currently playing in theaters.