Idris Elba Tired of James Bond Rumors? 'Beasts of No Nation' Star Talks "Street" Controversy

Fans might be anxious to talk about Idris Elba becoming the next James Bond, but at least one person is tired of the talk – Idris Elba himself. In a new interview with Variety to promote his film, Beasts of No Nation, the British actor more or less seemed tired of all the talk, including the infamous "street" controversy.

When asked to comment on all of the speculation, Elba replied, "I really have nothing constructive to say about James Bond. Apart from, it's just a rumor."

Pushing a little further, the interviewer asks if Elba thinks there could be a day when the Bond character could be played by someone who is not white, to which Elba replied, "James Bond is a spy. He could be any color, surely."

Earlier in the year, the internet was abuzz with rumors that Elba might play the famed 007 agent. Fans of Elba's hit BBC One show, Luther, pointed to his work on the show as evidence he would be the perfect Bond. He plays DCI Luther, an embittered detective who is deeply affected by the violent crimes he investigates.

Author of the 007 series, Anthony Horowitz, disagreed, however. His comments that Elba is "too street" for the role caused a social media firestorm, with many people finding offense at Horowitz's choice of words.

For his part, Elba's only comments on the controversy came by way of a cheeky Instagram post captioned, "Always Keep Smiling!! It takes no energy and never hurts! Learned that from the Street."

When asked by Variety if he was mortified by Horowitz's comments, Elba simply stated, "No."

Elba has several big projects coming up in 2016, chief among them being Star Trek Beyond. His latest film, Beasts of No Nation, is streaming live on Netflix and is currently garnering a bit of awards buzz for the star.