Tatiana Maslany

Age: 30

From: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Last film: “Woman in Gold”

 

I fully understand the objections that some might have to Bond being played by a woman: That the quintessential “Bond” characteristics don’t translate to a female actor, that Bond as anyone but a white man in his 30s would just be a secret agent, not the character invented by Ian Fleming and developed across numerous adaptations.

There are many excellent counterarguments to be made, but I can immediately think of one actress who simply personifies them all: Tatiana Maslany. One of the best discoveries in recent television history, Maslany has slowly but surely been gaining acclaim for her phenomenal performance(s) in BBC America’s “Orphan Black.”

For the uninitiated, Maslany portrays 10 different clones, each with completely different personalities, behaviors and affects. In “Orphan Black,” Maslany manages to juggle an absurd amount of diverse roles — a thief, a detective, a soccer mom and a microbiologist — without any of her performances suffering. Her sheer range is comforting: Many might be afraid that the “radical” decision to make James Bond into woman would result in the character being crafted as the sort of bland “strong independent woman” so often the default in action female-centric movies.

If ever there were an actress who was more than capable of selling a traditionally male role, it’s Tatiana Maslany. With such an acclaimed background, Maslany’s career is beautifully primed for a mainstream-silver screen breakthrough. It’s only a matter of Hollywood recognizing the potential brilliance of such a bold choice.

 

Contact Hannah Frakes at hfrakes ‘at’ stanford.edu.