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Helen Mirren’s recent comments about the James Bond franchise hit the nail on the head. She pointed out that the series of spy movies have been undeniably sexist. This is a glaring issue, especially in a modern world that’s fighting for better gender equality in media.

Helen Mirren would prefer to watch World War II movies than James Bond movies

While Mirren has been in many films of different stripes, she never graced a 007 film with her presence. During a 2025 interview with The Standard, Mirren decried the series. “The whole series of James Bond, it was not my thing,” she admitted. “It really wasn’t. I never liked James Bond. I never liked the way women were in James Bond.”

Some critics of the James Bond franchise have said that the movies would cease to be offensive if James Bond were reimagined as a woman. Others feel that such a major change would cause the series to lose a lot of fans without gaining new ones. Mirren doesn’t like the idea of making James Bond into a female character. 

“The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism,” Mirren said. “Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been. And very brave. If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they’re amazingly, unbelievably courageous. So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who’ve worked in that world.”

Why James Bond movies have a woman problem

In the first few decades of the James Bond series, female characters were often portrayed as little more than mere props. They were either love interests for Bond or victims in need of saving. These women rarely had depth or their own storylines. They existed primarily to advance Bond’s plot or to serve his desires.

Even as the franchise evolved, the portrayal of women didn’t improve dramatically. Although more recent Bond films, such as Casino Royale and Skyfall, gave some female characters more substance, they still struggled with the same underlying issues. Female characters were often defined by their relationships with Bond or their need for rescue. For example, while characters like Vesper Lynd showed emotional depth, they were still overshadowed by Bond’s heroism. The films still held onto outdated views of masculinity, reinforcing the idea that women’s roles in action films are secondary.

Mirren’s criticism shines a light on a persistent problem in Hollywood: the objectification of women in action movies. Bond’s charm comes from his ability to seduce and conquer, but this often reduces women to sexual objects rather than complex characters. Today, films need to move away from this outdated representation. It’s time to give women in action films the depth, agency, and respect they deserve, as Mirren rightly pointed out.

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Helen Mirren praised 2 actors from the series

Mirren doesn’t have negative feelings about all the James Bond actors. “I’m a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan, I mean massive fan,” she said. “I mean, oh my god. Obviously, he’s gorgeous and everything, and I think he’s fabulous in MobLand, but he also happens to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the pleasure to work with. And indeed, Daniel Craig, who I’ve met and know a little bit. Again, a very lovely, gracious person.”

Mirren is a fan of spy movies — she just doesn’t like the most famous spy movies.

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