Lashana Lynch, the actress hotly anticipated to be the first ever black female James Bond, celebrated her ground-breaking role at a starry Hollywood awards ceremony, by saying, “It is an honor to be able to proudly fly our big Jamaican flag up in MI6 as a 00 agent.”
The British actress, who starred as pilot and proud single mother Maria Rambeau in “Captain Marvel,” is shaking and stirring up the Bond legacy as 00 agent Nomi in “No Time to Die,” out in April. The movie is Daniel Craig’s last as 007.
While Bond has previously featured strong characters played by stars including Grace Jones and Halle Berry, Lynch is the 60-year-old franchise’s first ever black female agent, who already has an elite 00 status, and takes over the 007 status when Bond leaves the British intelligence service MI6.
And Lynch brought the house down at Essence’s starry Black Women in Hollywood Awards ceremony. Picking up the first award at the glamorous Beverly Hills bash on Thursday, Lynch said, “It used to somewhat scare me knowing there were little black girls around the world potentially looking up to me and what I do … but I soon realized it is a golden opportunity to speak to those I care about through my work. … It was a privilege play Maria Rambeau and give an ode to single black mothers who are truly heroes without capes, and it is an honor to be able to proudly flam our big Jamaican flag up in MI6 as a 00 agent.”
Describing herself as, “A dark skinned, working class young woman from West London … who proudly comes from an immigrant family and wears her truth on her sleeve,” she paid an emotional tribute to her mom Sonia Lynch, a single mother who worked two jobs to bring her and her two brothers up, with the help of her grandmother.
Lynch said, “I grew up in a very traditional Jamaican household. … I remember being hyper-aware of my blackness,” she said, “I recall being in ballet class at a very young age and having a white teacher tell me to tuck in my backside, and I proceeded to explain why mine just doesn’t go in like everyone else.”
She added, “So then I told my mom I wanted to leave [ballet], at that young age, and because of the black women that raised me, I was confidently able to leave a space that didn’t celebrate me. And now here I am in this room being able to celebrate my skin, my hair and my [behind].”
And speaking to her mother Sonia, who was sitting in the crowd, she said of her “Captain Marvel” role, “That character was a love letter to you and hundreds and thousands of single black mothers who go above and beyond to raise their kids … so to you and all the wonderful black women here today, you have truly lifted me up and you have paved the way.
“The true essence of humanity lies in the sacrifice of black women,” she added before the 007 theme played her out as she left the stage.
Others honored at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood event included filmmaker Melina Matsoukas, who directed Beyonce’s “Formation” and “Lemonade” plus the movie “Queen & Slim”, the cast of “Pose” and actress Niecy Nash.
Guests and presenters at the bash – considered to be the most fun and emotional of Hollywood’s big awards week – included Janelle Monae, Lena Waithe, Kerry Washington, Ava DuVernay, Issa Rae and Billy Porter.