Monica Bellucci, who will star in Spectre with Daniel Craig, talked about her role in an interview with The Guardian. When asked why she thought her casting as the oldest James Bond love interest “struck such a nerve,” Bellucci talks about the ridiculousness of ageism:
Because the world is a man’s world. Men have the power in everything: journalism, acting, direction; in banks, finances, schools. All the laws are made by men. Men think that women, when they’re not able to procreate any more, become old. That is not true – they are still amazing! That’s why I think that Sam Mendes [director of the new James Bond film, Spectre], in choosing me, an adult woman, created a big revolution.
I don’t know Hollywood very well. I’ve never lived in Los Angeles or New York. But what I can see in Paris, where I live, is that actresses like Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Charlotte Rampling, still get the chance to play strong, sexy roles even though they’re not 20.
Lots of women have been speaking out about Hollywood ageism, including Helen Mirren, who specifically called out the James Bond franchise with The Wrap. Mirren called it “f–king outrageous” that we had to watch Bond get more “geriatric” while his “girlfriends got younger and younger.” Bellucci, who is 50, is revolutionary.
Also interesting was these exchange between interviewer Nigel M Smith and Bellucci, about the term “bond girl.”
Smith: Some people take offence at the term Bond girl. Do you?
Bellucci: I can’t say I’m a Bond girl because I’m too mature to be a Bond girl. I say Bond lady; Bond woman. But I’m proud to be a Bond lady, because actually, Bond is the most amazing man. You know why?Smith: Why?
Bellucci: Because he doesn’t exist.
What do you think about Bond woman Monica Bellucci?
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