Spectre: Naomie Harris urges fans not to use ‘demeaning’ term ‘Bond girl’

Changing it up: Naomie Harris urges fans not to use the term 'Bond girls'
Matt Crossick/PA
Jennifer Ruby26 October 2015
The Weekender

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Spectre star Naomie Harris has urged fans to ditch the term ‘Bond girl’.

The British actress, who stars as Miss Moneypenny in the latest film in the James Bond franchise, has said that people should now refer to the film’s female actresses as ‘women’.

In an interview with The Independent, Harris said she was “not happy” with the label, adding:

“Monica [Bellucci] is 50 and I think it's respectable to say she's a Bond woman.

Spectre Photocall

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“It's quite demeaning to call her a girl. So I think it's time we had a little change there.”

The 39-year-old went on to say that Léa Seydoux’s character, psychologist Dr Madeleine Swann, is nothing like the traditional female Bond role.

She said: “She (Swann) is supposed to have the traditional role of being rescued, but actually she rejects his help and is like 'I've got this, I'll do this on my own.’

"She certainly isn't a weak, Bond girl of old that needs rescuing. She's quite capable and independent."

Just last week Honor Blackman, who played Pussy Galore alongside Sean Connery in 1964’s Goldfinger, dubbed the term ‘Bond girl’ derogatory.

In a column for the Daily Mirror, she wrote: “Stop calling us Bond girls, we are women and actresses!"

Spectre is out in cinemas nationwide on October 26.

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