Lashana Lynch opens up about battling social media abuse for 'No Time To Die'

LOS ANGELES: "Captain Marvel" star Lashana Lynch has revealed that she received a barrage of online abuse following the revelation that she will be playing Agent 007 in the upcoming James Bond movie "No Time To Die".

The new trailer of the film, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, had revealed that Lynch's character Nomi assumes the 007 monikers in the absence of Daniel Craig's iconic secret agent who will be shown living in exile in Jamaica.

It is unclear who will succeed the outgoing Craig as the fictitious British spy for further installments.

However, hardcore fans of the franchise were upset that a Black woman was chosen to fill in as 007.

Interview with Harper's Bazaar, the 32-year-old British actor revealed she deleted her "social media apps, meditated, and saw no one but the family" to overcome the abuse post the trailer launch.

"I am one Black woman - if it were another Black woman cast in the role, it would have been the same conversation, she would have got the same attacks, the same abuse," Lynch said.

"I just have to remind myself that the conversation is happening and that I'm a part of something that will be very, very revolutionary," she added.

"No Time To Die" is scheduled to be released in April 2021 after many delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. The movie will also feature Lea Seydoux, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, Rory Kinnear, Christoph Waltz, Billy Magnussen, Jeffrey Wright and Rami Malek.

Lynch revealed that she collaborated with film's co-writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge to successfully pull off her character as she wanted it to be "subtly drawn, believable, perhaps even a little awkward".

"A character that is too slick, a cast-iron figure? That's completely against what I stand for. I didn't want to waste an opportunity when it came to what Nomi might represent," she said.

Lynch added that the character will come across as authentic to Black audiences who will sure root for her.

"I searched for at least one moment in the script where Black audience members would nod their heads, tutting at the reality but glad to see their real-life represented."

"In every project I am part of, no matter the budget or genre, the Black experience that I'm presenting needs to be 100 per cent authentic," the actor added.