Madeline Smith leaning against Roger Moore in a suggestive manner as he touches her arm in a scene from the film "Live And Let Die," 1973. — Photo by United Artist/Getty Images
Former Bond girl Madeline Smith says it’s time for Hollywood to welcome a female 007.
The 69-year-old actress appeared on Friday’s “This Morning Show” in her native U.K. to give insight as to why the international man of mystery should finally be a woman.
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Smith famously played Italian agent Miss Caruso opposite Roger Moore as James Bond in the 1973 film “Live and Let Die.”
“I cannot see any reason why ultimately, a woman, a lady, a girl, cannot play the James Bond character,” explained Smith. “What would a woman bring to the role? Sensitivity. Sex. I don’t necessarily advocate having a woman… but times have changed. Women play a far greater role now. They’ve emerged from the darkness and the dark ages.”
It was then when Smith shed some light on her early years as an actress attempting to make it big in show business.
“I can remember very well being pushed onto a bed and expected to play footsie,” Smith admitted. “At that time, in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, definitely, it was expected.”
While Smith’s role in the iconic film was small, she made an unforgettable impression to audiences. But to Smith, it was her co-star, Moore, who immediately impressed her.
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A young Roger Moore. (AP)
“On ‘Live and Let Die’ it was wonderful,” she said. “Roger was such a gentleman.”
Despite her experience, Smith strongly believes it will only be a matter of time before Bond is transformed into a woman.
“Times are a-changing.” She said. “And women now are behind cameras, they’re writing scripts, they’re writing novels, they’re writing the new film… I’m saying, it will happen.”
The declaration comes just a day after “Bohemian Rhapsody” star Rami Malek was confirmed to be a villain in the upcoming “Bond 25” with Daniel Craig set to return as the world’s most famous secret spy.
Léa Seydoux will reprise her role of 007's love interest, Madeleine Swann, from 2015's "Spectre."
Other returning cast members will include Ralph Fiennes (M), Naomie Harris (Moneypenny) and Ben Whishaw (Q), as well as Jeffrey Wright and Rory Kinnear, The Independent reported this week.
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Producer Barbara Broccoli said of the as-yet-untitled flick, "Bond is not on active service when we start — he's enjoying himself in Jamaica. We consider it Bond's spiritual home. He starts his journey here. We've built an extraordinary house for him. We've got quite a ride in store for Mr. Bond."
In 2018, Bond historian Jeremy Black told Fox News that it would take as long as 20 or 30 years for a female star to shake things up on the big screen.
“I can’t see why it shouldn’t happen,” he explained on whether the next Bond should be a woman. “But I’ll tell you one reason I don’t think it’s going to happen. If you’re looking at James Bond as a commercial product, the leading film market in the world is the United States. And an increasing portion of the James Bond market is in the Far East, South Asia and in parts of the world where their values are different, shall we say.
Roger Moore and Madeline Smith. Photo by Terry O'Neill/Iconic Images/Getty Images
“These are more male-centered societies. And in those societies, I think it would be a hard sell to have your leading secret agent as a female. Now that may well change in 20, 30 years’ time. But I think one has to be aware there are commercial reasons.”
Back in 2009, Smith told the BBC she had nothing but wonderful memories working with Moore as a Bond girl.
“I love him,” she said. “I made the Bond [film] in January 1973. I think that was the first scene that Roger shot in his new go at Bond. I don’t even remember auditioning. And suddenly there I am shooting it with that divine being. He’d cut his hair off and lost a lot of weight by the time he was Bond. I think he looked smashing.”
Fox News’ Jessica Sager contributed to this report.
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