Léa Seydoux is proud her Bond girl is "independent and strong and smart".
The French actress is joining the cast of the franchise as Madeleine Swann in the upcoming 24th instalment Spectre. Her character is a doctor who is unimpressed by suave spy James Bond, played by Daniel Craig once again.
"He can't really have her. She's not seduced at first sight, and she doesn't fall for his tricks. She resists," Léa told Empire magazine. "She's his equal, independent and strong and smart, and she doesn't need him or wait for him to save her."
The star is better known for appearing in indie films and initially wasn't sure Spectre was for her. She doesn't consider herself a Bond girl, and she is fully aware that many 007 fans feel the same way.
That could be one of the reasons why she almost made a mess of her initial audition.
"I did not really succeed during the audition. I was early for the appointment and I was a little anxious, so I thought I would have a little beer to relax me, and then I started to have a panic attack and lost my text [meaning forgot her lines]! I felt very stressed about it," she said.
Luckily it didn't cause much of a problem and the star landed the part anyway. She isn't the only woman joining the cast, with Monica Bellucci also playing a Bond girl. Many are excited about this because she is 50, with iconic producer Barbara Broccoli among them.
"We had wanted her a couple of times in the past, and it didn't work out. I was really afraid that she was going to be the one that got away. I couldn't be more pleased that we finally got her in a Bond movie, and in a really great role," she enthused.
Monica didn't want to get involved with the franchise when she was younger as she felt it was too obvious. But now she's thrilled to be on set and hopes it will have a big effect on women all over the world.
"Fifty years old and James Bond' I think it's revolutionary. It's good that James Bond is in front of a woman, and adult woman. Sam [Mendes, director] said, 'You're going to be the hero for women.' A woman after 40, she freaks out, especially in this business. The possibility that a woman 50 years old can create desire, that's great for women today," she said.
