Actress Simone Ashley has indicated her openness to portraying a Bond Girl should the opportunity arise, coinciding with ongoing speculation about the casting for the next James Bond film.
Ashley, known for her role as Kate Sharma in the Netflix series "Bridgerton" and her recent appearance in "The Devil Wears Prada 2," shared her career aspirations with ELLE UK. "I would, yeah. If it happens, it happens!" she stated regarding a potential Bond role. She also expressed a desire to "do more movies and find a really delicious TV show to get into," possibly in the action or fantasy genres.
The actress is scheduled to receive the Performer Of The Year award at the ELLE Style Awards on Wednesday, September 9. Ashley also touched upon her personal life, expressing a desire to find a partner and start a family, while emphasizing her trust in personal life developments unfolding at the right time.
Her comments come as the field of potential actors to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond is being closely watched. Bookmaker William Hill has reported that actors Callum Turner, Jack Lowden, and Jack Barton are currently the top contenders, with Turner leading the odds. Barton recently entered the betting at 9/2, placing him as third favorite.
According to William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps, Barton's entry has significantly altered the market. Turner remains the frontrunner at 5/4, with Lowden at 7/4. Phelps noted that Barton is now considered more than twice as likely to be cast as Bond than previous favorites such as Henry Cavill and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who are both at 10/1.
Further complicating potential casting, actor Jack Lowden is reportedly involved in a bidding war between streaming services Apple and Amazon. Lowden stars as an MI5 agent in Apple's series "Slow Horses," and his availability for the Bond role is reportedly hindered by contractual obligations to Apple. Sources suggest it is difficult for an actor to simultaneously portray two prominent spy characters. Amazon is reportedly keen on Lowden for the Bond role, while Apple is actively working to retain him for "Slow Horses."