New James Bond favourite says the 'cogs are in motion' for next 007

There's a lot of debate over who the next James Bond should be and what James Bond should look like. I'll bestow upon you this golden nugget of wit for free - everyone should have a shot at playing James Bond.

If he's meant to be the best of the best that the United Kingdom can send out into the world of global high-stakes espionage, he's not going to look like anyone you would remember. The thing about spies is that they are specifically nondescript. How do I know this? I just do. Anyway, I've got this funny red spot on my jumper that's only shown up in the last few seconds.

Still, the question of which of the many famous male actors will step into the shoes of Bond is a contentious one. Former Bond George Lazenby has thrown Liam Hemsworth's name into the hat which is ludicrous. An Australian Bond? That's about as preposterous as a female Bond. Another name that's been bandied about is Idris Elba, though he's not keen, and we had heard that Aaron Taylor-Johnson met with higher-ups to discuss the future of Bond.

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During the Golden Globes pre-show, Variety asked actor Henry Golding whether he had also been in contention to be Bond. Golding rose to stardom following his role in Crazy Rich Asians and showed off his action abilities in The Gentlemen, Snake Eyes and the upcoming The Old Guard 2.

"I think there have been a few guys that have spoken to Barbara [Broccoli]. Sadly, I'm not one of them," he confirmed, speaking of the producer of the most recent Bond films. "But, I do know for a fact that ... the cogs are in motion for Barbara. I just wish them the best. They're gonna choose the right, and most appropriate, Bond."

Golding also praised those who had championed him for the role, informally or otherwise, and said that he would want to be involved in Bond in the future. "I'm Asian and everybody's fighting for a diverse Bond - sorry, white guys," he joked. "Isn't it great that we're having that conversation? Isn't it great that people are like, 'Ok, now it's time, why the hell can't we have a black Bond, an Asian Bond, a mixed-race Bond, a non-distinct Bond?' I don't know ... It's an honour to even be in the conversation."