Lashana Lynch says shooting the new James Bond movie in her native Jamaica gave her ‘a deeper understanding’

With the next installment of the popular James Bond movie series, No Time to Die, set to hit the cinemas in April 2021, all eyes aren’t solely going to be on Daniel Craig, but also on Lashana Lynch for her history-making role as the first Black and female 007.

In the upcoming movie, Lynch’s character, Nomi, is reportedly James Bond’s replacement and the new 007 while the British Secret Service (MI6) is exiled. Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar in a recent interview, the Black British actress and Captain Marvel star, revealed that though she initially had her own reservations about taking up the role, the production team eventually assured her her character wasn’t going to be a one-off, but rather someone the Black audience can relate to.

“A character that is too slick, a cast-iron figure? That’s completely against what I stand for,” she said. “I didn’t want to waste an opportunity when it came to what Nomi might represent. I searched for at least one moment in the script where Black audience members would nod their heads, tutting at the reality but glad to see their real life represented. In every project I am part of, no matter the budget or genre, the Black experience that I’m presenting needs to be 100 per cent authentic.”

The 32-year-old, who was born in London to Jamaican parents, also spoke about her experience shooting the movie in her native country, saying it gave her “a deeper understanding.”

“Of what I’ve chosen to do, of the people I do it for. Understanding the privileges as a British-born Jamaican that my parents and grandparents gave to me because they came to England. In a way, it serves as a ‘thank you’ to them for making the sacrifice,” she added.

Lynch also reflected on the backlash she received when news got around she was going to be the new 007, revealing that she deleted her social media account for a week, meditated and cut contact with people except her family. Nevertheless, she wasn’t too perturbed.

“I am one Black woman – if it were another Black woman cast in the role, it would have been the same conversation, she would have got the same attacks, the same abuse,” she said. “I just have to remind myself that the conversation is happening and that I’m a part of something that will be very, very revolutionary.”