The 2025 TV schedule is proof of idea that class-act Oscar winner Helen Mirren can simply maintain her personal as a bonafide TV star, due to fascinating roles on Yellowstone’s prequel 1923 and the gangster drama MobLand (each streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). She co-stars within the latter with fellow movie-and-TV fixture Pierce Brosnan, giving viewers an thought of what they’d have regarded like as James Bond and M, although Mirren’s feedback in regards to the spy character’s perceived sexism squashed these beliefs.
And if anybody thinks Brosnan was going to be the one to face up and oppose his co-star by going to bat for the Ian Fleming creation, suppose once more. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at what was stated.
Helen Mirren Calls Out James Bond’s Sexism
Whereas on the press tour for MobLand, Helen Mirren spoke with The Customary about working with Pierce Brosnan once more 45 years after they each co-starred within the 1980 gangster flick The Lengthy Good Friday. The subject of Bond arose, specifically the franchise’s shift in possession to Amazon MGM, the place Amy Pascal and David Heyman at the moment are in cost as the corporate’s Jennifer Salke all however made her exit. And The Queen star did not precisely attempt to faux her fandom. As she put it:
The entire sequence of James Bond, it was not my factor. It actually wasn’t. I by no means appreciated James Bond. I by no means appreciated the way in which ladies had been in James Bond.
To make certain, the actress shared her immense respect and appreciation for Pierce Brosnan himself, and he or she additionally gave a sort shout out to Daniel Craig, saying they’re each very beautiful and gracious individuals. However such compliments do not lengthen in the direction of the shared character they performed. As she put it:
The entire idea of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism. Girls have all the time been a serious and extremely essential a part of the Secret Service, they all the time have been. And really courageous. Should you hear about what ladies did within the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably brave. So I might inform actual tales about extraordinary ladies who’ve labored in that world.
Notably, Helen Mirren is said to a former Bond Lady, as she’s cousins with Goldfinger co-star Tania Mallet, who portrayed Tilly Masterson. It is unclear if Mallet’s experiences on the movie had something to do with Mirren’s present opinions, however I can think about that the handfuls of Bond movies that adopted Goldfinger most likely additionally performed an element.
Having portrayed the smooth-talking, martini-drinking spy mastermind throughout 4 completely different James Bond motion pictures within the ’90s and early ’00s, Pierce Brosnan would not be blamed if he felt defensive in regards to the iconic character being taken down a peg for his womanizing. Nevertheless, the actor did not appear to be rebuffed within the slightest when Folks requested for his tackle her feedback. He championed her in saying:
She allow them to have it.
I imply, who can blame him? I positive as hell would not need to publicly disagree with Helen Mirren, even when she was simply saying she thinks Bond ought to have had his martinis stirred as an alternative of shaken. I’d simply need to present a field filled with stirrers.
Nonetheless, Brosnan did not go on report saying he was absolutely aligned together with his MobLand co-star’s emotions, declaring that the super-spy’s on-screen habits concerning ladies is, if nothing else, an indication of devoted for the supply materials. He continued, saying:
Sure, there is a sure settlement there. However there is a sure world and room to maneuver throughout the proscenium arch of what [Bond creator and author] Ian Fleming put down. So there’s all the time going to be battle.
As he stated, although, there’s room to maneuver round beneath that fictionalized umbrella, so maybe the way forward for James Bond media will see the sharp-dressed hero grow to be extra of a softer-edged and extra compassionate girls man, versus adhering squarely to his boozing and schmoozing methods.
We’ll have to attend and see how that performs out, although, . In the meantime, make sure to catch each Mirren and Brosnan on MobLand, which followers had instant reactions to, when new episodes hit Paramount+ each Sunday.