Prominent British actor says it's time for a transgender James Bond

According to at least one prominent British actor, the time has come for a transgender actor to play the famed movie spy James Bond because "there are a lot of transgender people in the army."

Actor Dominic West, who is best known in the United States for his role in the critically-acclaimed HBO series "The Wire," made the comments to the Sunday Times magazine, and suggested that Hannah Graf, the highest ranking transgender British soldier, should take the role.

West met Graf during the filming of the 2018 film "Colette," which stars West and fellow Brit Keira Knightley. Hannah Graf's husband, Jake Graf, played a supporting role in the film.

Graf, who serves with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, came out as a transgender woman in 2013, and is the highest ranking transgender soldier in the British army.

West explained his suggestion by saying, "She's a beautiful blonde girl who could be Bond... That's actually a brilliant idea. They should have a transgender Bond because there are a lot of transgender people in the army."

Hannah Graf, who is not currently an actress, responded to the comments by saying that she was "flattered," but that she did not foresee a career in acting any time soon. She did, however, say that "there's no reason why there shouldn't be a transgender Bond," and that there's been "too many men" in hero roles.

In the past, the James Bond character has been played by a number of prominent male British actors, including Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, who currently occupies the role. A new Bond film is due out in 2019 and will reportedly again star Craig, who has publicly voiced a desire to move on from the iconic role.

Craig's impending departure from the role has led for many to call for more "inclusive" casting of the bond role, including widespread rumors that Idris Elba would be cast as the next Bond. Those rumors were eventually debunked by both Elba and the studio that produces the Bond movies.