James Bond: 10 Realistic Choices To Be The Next 007
5. Paapa Essiedu
An avid thespian and veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Paapa Essiedu’s excellence on stage has seamlessly transitioned and translated to television. Featuring within hit shows has become a trademark of his, as the actor has played a key role in fan favourite series’ I May Destroy You, and with him billed to feature within the latest season of Black Mirror, Paapa’s name has become a real staple of the small screen.
It would not be unfair to underline Essiedu’s general lack of cinematic presence, with Alex Garland’s psychological horror Men acting as the Londoner’s largest silver-screen role to date. However, he is a Bafta and Emmy nominated actor, and the 32-year-old was recognised for his efforts on-stage back in 2016 when he received the reward of the Ian Charleson Award for his respective roles in Hamlet and King Lear. Therefore, for what he may lack in cinematic experience, he more than makes up for with his theatrical background and critical acclaim.
Paapa’s portrayal of Alex Dumani within Gareth Evans’ Gangs of London depicts a calculated and charismatic individual whose inability to be deterred from danger makes him Bond-like, with an added complex moral compass to coincide with this notion. No Time To Die’s original director Danny Boyle left the project due to creative differences but made sure to put Essiedu’s name forward as a man more than capable of following in Daniel Craig’s formidable footsteps. Not bad, eh?