Debbie McWilliams, Former James Bond Casting Director, Sticks to Her Guns: ‘Ian Fleming Wrote a Character, and That’s the Character That Stays’

The Woman Who Cast 14 James Bonds Has Thoughts on Who Should Play 007 Next

The casting legend behind 14 Bond films opened up at Karlovy Vary about landing Daniel Craig, bringing in Judi Dench — and why she's never read a single Ian Fleming novel.

Debbie McWilliams, Former James Bond Casting Director, Sticks to Her Guns: ‘Ian Fleming Wrote a Character, and That’s the Character That Stays’

Debbie McWilliams, who cast the last 14 James Bond films, has stuck to her guns when it comes to her view that 007 should be white and male. Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival Friday in an onstage interview, the casting director was asked by an audience member whether the spy could be a woman or a person of color. “Not in my opinion. No,” she responded firmly. “Ian Fleming wrote a character, and that’s the character that stays. That’s w…