Baz Bamigboye at the Daily Mail is reporting Naomie Harris (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Miami Vice) is now in the final stages of negotiations to star as the long-running Bond girl, Moneypenny, in the as-yet-untitled James Bond 23 to be directed by Sam Mendes. This will be the first appearance of the Moneypenny character in the latest reboot of the franchise with Samantha Bond last playing her in Die Another Day.
Harris was first rumored to have auditioned for a role back in early June, but at the time the role was unknown. She later told BBC, “All I can say is I’ve met the ‘Bond’ team, I’ve met Sam Mendes, they’re all wonderful. I’ve auditioned for ‘Bond.’ My audition was really great actually because it’s so top secret, the whole Bond thing. I hadn’t realized how top secret it was. I’ve auditioned for a lot of things before but never for something where you can’t see the script, it’s that secret.”
Bamigboye also reports previously rumored Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes are also officially part of the cast. Bardem playing a character of “extreme complexity”. Obviously, specific details on each are not yet known.
The one thing to note, the “Daily Mail” can sometimes turn itself into a gossip rag. So this may all be rumor and speculation to drudge up some attention, but the report, true or false, will likely inspire movement from Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, to make an official statement soon. So for now take this as a solid rumor, but a rumor nonetheless.
Confirmed for the twenty-third film to this point are Daniel Craig as Bond and Judi Dench is back as M. The film is already set for a November 9, 2012 release with filming expected to begin in October in South Africa and India.
