Ben Daniels slams Hollywood ‘A gay actor will never be James Bond’

Ben Daniels has spoken candidly about the barriers gay actors still face in Hollywood, insisting that a queer performer will “never” be cast as James Bond.

The 61-year-old actor, known for Cutting It, Law & Order UK, and The Exorcist, reflected on the limited opportunities for openly gay actors, even in roles that aren’t explicitly queer.

“It was such tremendous fun,” Daniels told The Daily Telegraph about playing Finn in Cutting It. “But also, those opportunities for gay actors aren’t really there as much as you say… A queer person will never be cast as James Bond, for instance.”

Amazon MGM has yet to announce the next 007 following Daniel Craig’s departure after No Time To Die. Daniels added, “As a gay actor, you’re not even seen for those roles. And quite often, they still won’t employ queer actors in queer roles.”

The actor also highlighted the ongoing challenges for performers to come out publicly. “There are people who are, incredibly, still in the closet. Yes, there are A-listers like Jonathan Bailey who are properly out…but there aren’t many,” Daniels said. 

“Often I’m the only gay actor in the room. I was one of only a very few gay actors in Interview with the Vampire, which was interesting given that it was such a very queer show.”

Addressing why so many actors remain private about their sexuality, Daniels explained it comes down to fear. 

“We all know which actors are queer, and I understand why they don’t come out, because they would work less. It’s not that I’m judging them, it’s just I myself couldn’t not be out.”