When it was rumored that Lashana Lynch would be the new 007, there was a lot of speculation about the next Bond being a woman. Is that something you’d like to see?
No, I don’t think so, because James Bond is James Bond. But, I would love to see a female character like James Bond and I’m sure that will happen.
There are so many incredible sequences in the film, including a car chase that we’ve seen in the trailer. Which were the most challenging to film?
That car chase was kind of scary [laughs] but fun. It’s the kind of thing you do in a James Bond film and, as an actor, it’s always good to push boundaries, but I’m not very brave so every time I had to do a little stunt I was nervous. But, at the end, you feel proud. There was also another scene in which I had to swim and stay in the water for almost a day. That was quite tough. I did films right before and after No Time to Die, too, so the shooting process was compressed. I think it was three months and on Spectre, it was eight months, but the role this time was bigger, so it felt very different.
How does it feel now to have the film coming out after more than a year of delays?
It’s crazy. So much time has passed that it’s weird to now be doing the promotion for it, but I’m so happy. It’s Daniel’s last James Bond film and he really deserves to have a great send-off. To work with him again was such a joy. And the film is not just entertaining, it’s actually very emotional. I’m sure that people will be surprised and I hope they’ll love it.
Another film you’ll be appearing in soon is Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. What was your experience of filming that like?
It was great. It’s a bit like a James Bond movie because there are so many characters and it really felt like a family. It was nice to be with all of those people because sometimes when you’re carrying a film on your shoulders and you’re the only one, it can be a bit lonely.
Beyond work, what has the last year and a half been like for you?
The pandemic was really tough. It made me ask questions about the world and I watched as things fell apart. It felt like people would be more aware of the serious problems we face after it, but now, it feels like nothing happened. We’re back to where we were before it. I have to say, I’m a bit distressed about the world right now.
No Time to Die will be in theaters from October 8.