Dominic West urges James Bond producers to cast transgender soldier as 007

The actor suggested Hannah Graf, the British army's highest-ranking transgender servicewoman

Dominic West has waded into the debate on who should play the next James Bond, suggesting producers should select a transgender person.

The British star also had someone in mind – Hannah Graf, the highest-ranking transgender soldier in the British army.

West told The Sunday Times Magazine: “She’s a beautiful girl who could be Bond. They should have a transgender Bond because there are a lot of transgender people in the army. That’s actually a brilliant idea.”

Graf is a captain in the electrical engineers. The Wire star met her after starring alongside her transgender husband Jake Graf in new film Colette, which also stars Keira Knightley.

Responding to West’s recommendation, Graf said she was “very flattered” that West mentioned her as a successor to Daniel Craig in the role.

“I don’t think I’m going to become an actress anytime soon, but there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be a transgender Bond,“ she said. ”We’ve seen too many men in hero-type roles and women playing second fiddle.”

West said he didn’t see producers casting a woman as Bond as “these things are gender specific”. He did say, however, he’d jump at the chance of playing the role himself.

“Of course I would [take it], but I don’t think I will be [offered the role],” he told the magazine.

Now Bond 25 has a director attached, details of the next film in the long-running British spy franchise are beginning to roll in.

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Cary Joji Fukunaga replaced Danny Boyle as director last month and is currently rewriting his script after it reportedly ruffled feathers over at Eon Productions.

While hesitant to reveal too many details – not least because the script is still incomplete – Fukunaga did confirm one rather large plot point: the new film will bring things full circle for Craig by continuing the arc first presented in Casino Royale, the actor’s first outing as 007.

Colette arrives in UK cinemas on 11 January 2019; Bond 25 will be released in February 2020.