Only time will tell if Hollywood is willing to cast a gay actor in the iconic role of James Bond. Either way, Luke Evans says hes thrilled just to know that his name has reportedly come up in those discussions.

Evans whose credits include Nine Perfect Strangers and Disneys live-action version of Beauty and the Beast graces the cover of Out magazines September/October issue. In the accompanying interview , the British heartthrob shares his thoughts about being considered as a possible Bond actor, something that reportedly began about a decade ago.

I was like, Wow, this is like crazy that Im on this list, Evans told the outlet. I took stock that day and I thought... people could see me as that role even being a gay man, which I thought was great, and it means that we are progressing. (Bond is typically known as a playboy and womanizer, something that dates back to the characters original incarnation in Ian Flemings novels, though this aspect has been downplayed in more recent films.)

Fans and media outlets alike have been abuzz with speculation about who might next assume the role of James Bond, following the release of 2021s No Time to Die , in which actor Daniel Craig made his final appearance as the legendary spy.

According to various reports , Idris Elba, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Andrew Garfield have long been considered front-runners, while Taron Egerton, Henry Golding and Paul Mescal have more recently been named as contenders.