13 out actors who could embody a queer James Bond

The next James Bond should be queer, and Hollywood is out of excuses.

Daniel Craig has retired his role as James Bond for a few years now. As the 007 film franchise searches for a new actor to fill in the role, it becomes evident that the casting choice isn't just about acting, but about the direction that will save this iconic character from drowning in obscurity for having outdated personality traits of what it means to be a man.

To be clear, there are dozens of great directions for the next Bond movie to explore. One of the best ideas — and, frankly, what often seems like the easiest path for this character to look similar to what traditionalists want but slowly open them up to a new side of this man — is for the next James Bond to be queer.

Here are 13 out queer actors that fit the age range and birthplace criteria for getting cast as the new James Bond, and who could absolutely bring a new energy to this cinematic archetype of a man currently unfit for the modern world.

Luke Evans

Casting Luke Evans as the next James Bond is such an obvious choice that it is actually bonkers for any publication to compile a list of potential actors and somehow not include him in it. Even straight fans of the franchise have been shouting out his name for several years now. And, when asked if he'd still be interested in playing James Bond, the Out cover star at the time said yes, he would absolutely take on the role.

Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage, best known for playing Thorin in the trilogy of The Hobbit films, would be a pitch-perfect James Bond. He already has the appeal of straight audiences, but is also unapologetically queer — in his own way — since coming out to the public. That suave energy is quite Bond-coded, if you ask us!

Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey was a significant player in launching the massive hit Bridgerton franchise for Netflix, turned Fiyero into the most interesting version of the character fans have ever seen, explored his full queer self on Fellow Travelers, and then smashed box office records with his role in Jurassic World Rebirth. Hollywood knows that it could count on Bailey to bring to life a queer James Bond.

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller's complex relationship with the Prison Break TV series makes us wonder if he'd sign up for another huge commitment such as joining a multi-film contract to play James Bond for a few years. Nonetheless, this is an actor who can expertly carry both danger and tenderness in his performances, which would be a huge asset for the role of 007.

Ncuti Gatwa

Even though Ncuti Gatwa is one of the youngest actors on this list, you would be sorely mistaken to dismiss this top-tier actor due to his age. In just a few years, Gatwa has steamrolled every single project he's starred in: From Netflix's Sex Education to the Barbie movie to playing a new iteration of the Doctor himself on the BBC's Doctor Who.

Russell Tovey

Is Russell Tovey a very talented actor whose performances in Looking, Plainclothes, Feud, Years and Years, American Horror Story, The Good Liar, and even an early-days role in The Pass made us actually believe that he was all of those characters in each of those projects? Yes. Is he also a very good looking man who, as seen in the attached photo, looks like he might as well already be the next James Bond? Yes. Many things can be true at the same time.

Andrew Scott

The same actor who played C in 2015's Spectre has given us the "Hot Priest" of Fleabag, the universally beloved Adam in All of Us Strangers, and even an eerie performance as the titular character of Netflix's Ripley. I mean, it's Andrew Scott — an actor who's been truly terrific in everything he's ever done.

Ben Aldridge

Since breaking out as the "Arsehole Guy" on Fleabag, Ben Aldridge has been on a hot streak of fantastic performances in projects like Pennyworth, Spoiler Alert, and Knock at the Cabin. He has the looks and the charm of a traditional James Bond, but can certainly bring out a warmer energy that the character desperately needs.

Richard Gadd

Even though it's still hard to divorce Richard Gadd's image from Baby Reindeer, this is an incredibly skilled actor who had been in the game for a long time before he created the hit Netflix series. Gadd could lead an interesting new direction for Bond not only for being an out queer man, but for bringing a very different energy to this set-in-stone archetype of a man.

Luke Fetherston

Between his roles in The Wheel of Time, Picture This, Still Up, and Big Mood, Luke Fetherston has shown that he's a pretty dynamic actor who could bring something new to a character like Bond. Within the context of this list, he would also be a less obvious name than others, which can be utilized as an advantage for a 007 reboot.

Joel Harper-Jackson

Best known for projects like The Devil's Hour and Daddy Issues — as well as his work in theater and as a live performer — Joel Harper-Jackson would be a great choice for a queer James Bond. Given that he's still building up his on-screen credits, moviegoers around the world would also be introduced to Harper-Jackson perhaps for the very first time, which is often very valuable when attempting to reintroduce such a well-known character.

Max Parker

Max Parker is having a career-boosting 2025 as one of the out actors starring in the Netflix series Boots. However, it is very likely that British audiences are already familiar with him due to his memorable portrayal of Luke Posner in the long-running series Emmerdale Farm. Parker is certainly another up-and-coming actor in the U.K. who should be considered for a queer version of 007.

Alexander Lincoln

Alexander Lincoln was a breakout star from the 2022 queer indie In from the Side. Since then, he's starred in films like The Fence, A Night Like This, and in The Groomsmen series of movies from the Hallmark Channel. Lincoln is also on the right track of making a name for himself in this industry, and Bond could be an even bigger breakout for the actor.