James Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams has stated that the iconic spy should remain white and male, despite ongoing speculation about potential recasts. McWilliams, who was responsible for casting the previous 14 installments of the franchise, commented that the character, as conceived by author Ian Fleming, should not be altered.

"Not in my opinion. No," McWilliams said when asked at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival if the spy could be played by a woman or a person of color. "Ian Fleming wrote a character, and that's the character that stays. That's what I think. I mean, other people might think otherwise, but I don't think that."

McWilliams retired from her casting career prior to Amazon MGM Studios acquiring creative control of the James Bond franchise in 2025. The task of selecting Daniel Craig's successor now falls to casting director Nina Gold and director Denis Villeneuve.

During her tenure, McWilliams sought specific qualities for the role. "Well, I mean, I've said this several times before, but part of his job description is license to kill," she explained. "So you've got to think that he could pick a gun up and shoot you. So he's got to have a kind of threat about him, you know."

She reflected on past Bond actors, noting, "I'm not sure that Pierce Brosnan had that particularly, but he kind of embodied a different side of him. He was very good looking and suave, and all the rest of it." She added that Daniel Craig "sort of changed that somewhat into the fact that you, you know … he was much tougher."

McWilliams acknowledged that the casting process is fluid: "There's no set rule. It's whoever fits the bill, frankly, and it will be different for different directors and different producers." She also hinted at significant changes ahead for the franchise, stating, "And, you know, it's about to change dramatically, is all I can say. And I'm not sure whether I'll be paying my money to go and see it or not. But there isn't an easy answer to that question."

Actor Idris Elba has previously addressed the possibility of playing Bond, ruling himself out of the role. Elba told GQ that he felt audiences would not accept a Black actor as James Bond, citing cultural differences in various global markets. "I think, in realistic terms, some markets just don't go for that. Bond is big all over the world. And [audiences] won't [all] go for a Black male, an African male, playing Bond," he explained. "That's not what they like in their culture. Period. Bond is so unrealistic, so a hint of reality is good, but let's not try and make it woke. I think you've got to be pure to what it is: escapism. Don't try and answer the world's taste. Just be Bond."

Auditions for the new James Bond began in May, five years after Daniel Craig's final appearance as the character. The search was delayed following Amazon MGM Studios' acquisition of the franchise's creative control. The studio has not commented on specific casting details but announced that "exciting 007 news" would be shared in the coming months.

Reports indicate that director Denis Villeneuve has begun informing actors who have advanced to the next round of auditions. Meanwhile, actor George Clooney has expressed his support for Callum Turner, calling him "tall and handsome and charming and British, so he's the perfect guy to do it."