Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney has received support from a former James Bond actress for a potential role as the franchise’s next leading lady.
Trina Parks, who played Thumper opposite Sean Connery in the 1971 film Diamonds Are Forever, has said Sweeney would make a strong choice for the role.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Parks praised the actress’s performances, screen presence and confidence.
“Sydney would do a wonderful job. She has done quite a range of acting things and basically has got ownership of her sexual identity,” Parks said.
She also described Sweeney as a talented actress with a classic Hollywood style and poise, adding that these qualities could suit the long-running franchise.
Parks made history as the first Black actress to portray a Bond girl, playing Thumper, an assassin who appeared alongside Sean Connery’s 007.
Former Bond girl wants more independent female characters
Parks also shared her views on how the portrayal of women in James Bond films should evolve.
She said modern audiences expect female characters to have greater independence and a stronger voice rather than simply being impressed by Bond’s appearance.
Parks suggested that the next Bond film should feature a woman whose affection Bond has to earn, rather than continuing the traditional pattern of the spy’s romantic encounters.
Search for the next James Bond continues
The discussion comes as speculation grows over the casting of the next 007 following Daniel Craig’s departure from the franchise in No Time to Die (2021).
Actors including Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor have reportedly been linked to the role, although no successor has been officially announced.
Former Bond actor Ben Whishaw, who played Q, has also suggested that the franchise needs to be reinvented for its next chapter.
The next James Bond film has yet to receive an official release date, and producers have not confirmed who will play the new 007 or his potential love interest.
