You might recognise Lashana Lynch as single mother-cum-fighter pilot Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel, but when news leaked that the Londoner had been cast as the first Black female ‘OO’ agent in the James Bond franchise, her star status was cemented.
The 32-year-old is one of 50 individuals selected by our esteemed judges to feature on the 2020 ELLE List in association with Magnum. It celebrates this year's new leaders and shakers who are reframing the worlds of fashion, beauty, politics, culture and beyond.
With this in mind, of course Lynch made the cut. We interviewed, photographed and filmed Lynch for the List. You can watch the video above, but here's what else she had to say...
My first role was as Pinocchio...
It was my school play – my parents say they’ve known what I was going to do as a career ever since. They’ve been so supportive.
I was clear about wanting to do Marvel films.
I said it out loud to friends and family, and made it my goal. It was a good few years of sending audition tapes before my role in Captain Marvel. If there’s any way to know if manifestations are real, it’s times like that.
I like mixing surrealism and realism and when I see female superheroes, I enjoy seeing their strength outshine them. I get a kick out of it.
Every decision I make for my career is a decision for my community.
As a Black woman, a Londoner and an immigrant, I’m never going to be comfortable choosing a role that is going to make my culture question anything.
I’ve taken it on as my responsibility to ensure that my generation and those coming after me know that there was a point at which something happened for the first time. For example, the first Black single mother in a Marvel film was very important to me. And it was important to have discussions with the directors about her not being a downtrodden human being that people felt sorry for. She didn't need a boyfriend or a husband; she was just bossing it up on her own.
Any past ‘Bond girl’ depictions haven’t applied to me.
I knew if I signed on to No Time To Die, the team would have to understand who they were taking on and what I’d want to bring to the role. I knew that any past depiction wouldn’t apply to me because that’s not what I signed up for.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge and I spoke early on about my character. I said she should be a real human being with strength, opinions and personality but someone who experiences everyday struggles, too. She responded with, "great, that’s exactly how I see her". We were on exactly the same page.
The reaction [to my casting as the first Black female 00 agent] was definitely something new. A lot of traditionalists said things that weren’t very nice, but I focussed all of my hard-earned energy on other things. You realise that social media – it can be draining – but it's also very 'here today, gone tomorrow', so after a few days it blew over and everyone moved on.
I would never say I’m a game changer...
But I do think the steps I’ve made have definitely made a mark in history. I look forward to my children and grandchildren reaping the benefits from this moment.
I think if I ever said I don’t want to talk about [being the first Black female 00 agent] then it would mean that I’m not doing my part for my culture as a Black woman. That is never ever going to be my stance.
Whilst it is exhausting sometimes, because I don’t speak for everyone, I also know I have a responsibility which I willingly take on to further the conversations that need to keep happening. If they’re not happening and I’m not a part of them, then what am I in this industry for?
A condensed version of this interview appears in the October issue of ELLE.
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19 Of Lashana Lynch's Best Fashion Looks, From 'Bond 25' To 'Captain Marvel' Premieres
![london, england january 30 lashana lynch attends the uk premiere of bob marley one love at bfi imax on january 30, 2024 in london, england photo by karwai tangwireimage](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-1973783316-65ba3a4645906.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* ""Bob Marley: One Love" UK Premiere - Arrivals")
Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
