Lashana Lynch on Wearing James Bond’s Signature Wristwatch

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Lashana Lynch, who stars in No Time to Die, is the first Black woman to play a 00 agent in a James Bond film—a franchise that has spanned six decades. Her depiction of fearless super-spy Nomi testifies to the increasing agency of women in film spaces that have traditionally been male-centered.

But if Bond films have always been about machismo, they’ve also always worshipped high style (the tuxedos! the Aston Martins!), and Nomi is no exception. Costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb tried to reflect Nomi’s groundbreaking female presence with pieces that are as bold as they are sophisticated. The goal was to allow Lynch to embrace femininity while also channeling Nomi’s ambition to prove herself equal—even better—than her legendary male predecessor.

“I had really deep discussions with Larlarb, who was incredible in ensuring that every part of Nomi’s costume was functional, while also feminine and elegant,” Lynch tells BAZAAR.com. That included her wristwatch, another fashion staple of the franchise. And like James Bond, who traditionally wears an Omega Seamaster—Omega has been a partner with the franchise since 1995—Nomi has her own preferred watches, including the Seamaster Aqua Terra from the brand’s ladies timepiece collection.

Below, a brief chat with Lynch about her character and how it feels to make history in a famous film franchise.

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How does it feel to play a character who’s so confident as a woman, a Black woman, in the world of James Bond?

Just by the trailer alone, you can tell that Nomi has a certain level of agency the way that she vocalizes who she is, her truth, her authenticity, along with balancing a certain level of vulnerability in questioning herself and figuring things out on the job. These are all really important aspects to dive into—what it looks like to be a strong Black woman in the world. Now we can tackle that in cinema and through just general aesthetics, like with fashion and accessories.

Lashana Lynch wears the Seamaster Aqua Terra watch from Omega’s ladies timepiece collection.

Nicola Dove

James Bond is such a watch guy, but Nomi’s style feels different. How did you embody that onscreen?

She’s able to speak boldly in a way that is feminine. And it’s that femininity that makes her feel as though she’s not just one of the dudes in the film, but that she’s there to be a woman in all her glory. Just because she’s wearing a watch, it doesn’t mean that she has to become a really masculine version of herself. She’s actually adding more elegance.

Courtesy OMEGA

In your day-to-day life, do you have a watch you always wear?

I have the gold constellation with the diamonds around the face with the mother-of-pearl accents from the same Omega collection. It’s something I wear every day. It makes me feel elegant and feminine. Even when I wear something that is a little bit more tomboyish, I still feel like I’m balancing myself out by wearing it. It fits me very well and makes me feel flush. I feel like I’m always on my way out, which is always good to feel.

How has it felt to lead such an iconic franchise, especially as a woman of color?

It’s an honor to be able to collaborate with producers who really understand what pushing the needle forward means. I feel like a vessel that’s gone to really represent the Black female experience in a way that hasn’t been done before, and I can only hope that there are going to be plenty more Nomis in cinema for young Black girls to look at and be inspired by and seen through.

For a black woman to naturally come to such a long-running franchise is something that I will always respect these producers for in my career. So for Nomi to even be an idea on the page, let alone have the effect that she’s already had by the trailer alone, is really humbling. It’s what has helped me to have further and deeper conversations about representation of women and Black women in cinema.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Lashana Lynch on Wearing James Bond’s Signature Wristwatch
Source: Filipino Journal Articles