Hannah Waddingham Talks Whether Next James Bond Should Be a Woman (Exclusive)

Hannah Waddingham weighed in on the future of the James Bond franchise.

While at a special screening of the new Prime Video action-comedy series Ride or Die on June 22 at London’s Ham Yard Hotel, Waddingham, 51, was asked what draws her to playing powerful women in the different roles she’s picked so far.

“It’s their truth, it’s who they are in the quiet, that’s what gets me first,” she explained, adding that her “interest is piqued by who they are when they’re alone, and the foibles and the fears and the aspirations they have when they’re alone.”

Waddingham also admitted she wouldn’t want to be playing James Bond.

“No! God no! No, this is my version of 007, a woman doesn’t need to play James Bond, we’ve got other things to do,” she said.

During the red carpet, the Ted Lasso actress was joined by her boyfriend, Nick Beresford-Cleary.

The two first made their red carpet debut as a couple at Variety’s Power of Women: London event on June 3, and they had their public debut at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2026.

In Ride or Die, Waddingham plays Judith Burton, who lives a double life as an assassin. However, things get messy when her best friend gets looped into the chaos.

Waddingham and her costar Octavia Spencer spoke exclusively with PEOPLE earlier this month about what made them sign on for the comedy from creator Tessa Coates.

“It was such an amazing pitch,” Spencer, 56, said. “I’ve heard hundreds of pitches throughout my career and none like that one. It just had you spellbound, on the edge of your seat. I loved that it was centered around two women — two women of a certain age, two brilliant, highly capable women — doing action and comedy. And the show had a lot of heart.”

“As soon as she finished giving the pitch, I said, ‘Well, my agents are going to be upset, but I’m in,’ ” she continued.

Waddingham agreed with Spencer and admitted that her “jaw first dropped” when she initially got the email. However, she wasn’t sure she was even getting the part at first.

“I just went, ‘Oh my God, whoever gets to play this character opposite Octavia is getting a dream role,’ ” she said. “I said, ‘What, do you want me to advise on casting? Why am I on this call?’ And they said, ‘We want you to do it, you dummy.’ ”

“It made Tessa and Octavia laugh because that’s exactly what Octavia had done,” Waddingham added. “Neither of us had gone through the correct channels with our teams. We just knew immediately.”

Ride or Die premieres on Prime Video on July 15.