Nobody does it better: Identity, ideology, and the future of James Bond

Abstract

We explore the possibility that ideology structures attitudes toward casting choices swapping the race, gender, or sexual orientation of existing characters within popular entertainment franchises. Methods: We conduct an original survey to gauge reactions to potential swaps within the James Bond film franchise. Results: American conservatives are significantly less interested in future Bond films should the main character be played by a black man, a black woman, a white woman, or someone who is gay or a lesbian. This relationship does not hold should the role go to someone under 25 or American. Conclusion: Ideology structures attitudes toward the world of popular culture in addition to and in similar ways to the world of politics.Decades of research on descriptive representation displays the benefits of having a diverse set of elected officials. These benefits include better substantive representation on issues salient to underrepresented groups (Mansbridge 1999; Haider-Markel 2007) and stronger relationships with systems of government, seen through increased involvement (Rocha et al. 2011;Clark 2019), increased efficacy (Bobo and Gilliam 1990;Banducci, Donovan, and Karp 2004;Atkeson and Carrillo 2007;West 2017), and decreased alienation (Pantoja and Segura 2003). The effects of descriptive representation extend beyond politics and into the world of media. Media present underrepresented groups with opportunities for empowerment (Alia and Bull 2005); when said groups are not represented in media, they are less visible to society (Dixon, Weeks, and Smith 2019). The construction of one's social identity can be influenced by media consumption; this is especially true for marginalized individuals (Brooks and Hébert 2006). More specifically, popular culture can drive "who we are as people and who we think we can become" (Trier-Bieniek 2019:14).Across the past decade or so, the entertainment industry has become more conscious of the need for greater diversity and inclusion. As Sarah Kate Ellis, director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) put it, "communities who have been left out of the seats at the table for decades and decades are finally starting to find their voice, and their footing" (Noveck 2019). Entertainment executives also realized money could be made in diverse programming, especially in reaching younger viewers "for whom diversity-racial, religious, sexual-is their world" (Morris and Poniewozik 2016). One strategy through which Hollywood has evolved is by swapping the race, gender, and sexual orientation of actors playing characters within already established films, television shows, and franchises, doing so through casting, reimagining, or rebooting.