I was late to The Wire party—several years late. Tardiness be damned, though, I will argue with you (and you, and you over there too) that it was the best show ever made and that Stringer Bell, played by the lovely and surprisingly English-accented Idris Elba, was one of the most interesting characters to ever be developed for the small screen.
When the show ended, I fretted for days about what I would do next. How was I ever going to find another show that would rival The Wire? How would I ever find characters as complex and likable and not likable as Stringer Bell and Omar and Jimmy McNulty?
The answer was simple: I wouldn’t.
So, I dove headfirst into shows like Downton Abbey and Breaking Bad and Homeland. They are all 100% excellent. But they are not The Wire.
And I dove headfirst into following Idris Elba wherever he went. Sure, he’ll always be Stringer Bell to me, but, you know, watching him in his small stint on The Office was enjoyable. Watching him use his real-life accent on Luther was even more enjoyable. Nodding approvingly over the fact that he splits his time between London and Atlanta so that he can be near his daughter was enjoyable. And watching him wear red shoes (and taking photos of my television screen) on Live With Kelly was embarrassingly enjoyable.
And now, he starring in and directing in a Mumford & Sons video. Oh yes.
And even though Skyfall has only just barely hit the big screen, and Daniel Craig has reportedly signed on for two more James Bond movies, Idris Elba is already rumored to be the next James Bond. Skyfall actress Naomie Harris—who plays Bond babe Eve in the new film—tells The Huffington Post, “I did a film with Idris [Elba] and he said that he met Barbara Broccoli [James Bond producer] and that it does seem like there is a possibility in the future that there could very well be a black James Bond. And I would have to vote for Idris because I just finished working with him and he’s a great guy.”
And you know, he’s already British.
And he sure can wear a suit.
Culturally, I have to think of my kids’ future here. James Bond movies are a constant in life and we need to ensure a good legacy for them after we’re gone. It’s, like, key parenting stuff.
Elba seems mostly on board with this idea, but as he tells NPR, ”I just don’t want to be the black James Bond. Sean Connery wasn’t the Scottish James Bond, and Daniel Craig wasn’t the blue-eyed James Bond, so if I played him, I don’t want to be called the black James Bond.”
And, according to him, he’s never shaken or stirred.
I guess if it can’t be Stringer Bell, I could probably settle for James Bond.
About Ali Martell
