Phoebe Waller-Bridge to make James Bond's women feel 'real'

Left-right: Lea Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris and Lashana Lynch

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has said she will help to make the female characters in the new James Bond movie "feel like real people".

The Fleabag and Killing Eve creator is part of the writing team for the 25th film in the spy franchise.

Bond - played by Daniel Craig - has been criticised down the years for its objectification of its leading ladies.

Waller-Bridge said her contribution would be "mainly about making them feel like real people, you know?"

Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter Podcast, she said: "It's really exciting. The film they've got is such an exciting story. It's just been a joy to work on."

Asked whether she would bring some of the "female, feminist humour" evident in her two signature shows to date, she added: "Well, we'll see, we'll see what I can sneak in.

"But it's mainly about making them feel like real people, you know? Which they do in the previous films.

"I think Daniel's films have had really fantastic Bond girls, so it's just keeping it up."

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In the last Bond film, 007 had relationships with Lea Seydoux's character Dr Madeleine Swann - who is returning for Bond 25 - and Lucia Sciarra, played by Monica Bellucci.

Craig joined Seydoux and co-stars Ana de Armas, Naomie Harris and Lashana Lynch at the launch of the new movie - set for release in April 2020 - at late creator Ian Fleming's home in Jamaica last month.

At the launch, Craig told BBC News: "Bond has always adapted for the times. But you're dealing with a character who is flawed, who has issues, and I think that's something that's worth still exploring and grappling with.

"Of course, we wouldn't be movie-makers or creative people if we didn't have an eye on what was going on in the outside world."

Also in April, the finale of Waller-Bridge's hit comedy series Fleabag - in which she plays a young London woman grappling with her family, career and love life - was met with enthusiastic praise by fans and critics.

Season two will be available in the US on Amazon from 17 May.

Killing Eve, her TV adaptation of Luke Jennings's Codename Villanelle novella series, leads this year's Bafta TV Award nominations on Sunday, with five nods - including its stars Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer going head-to-head for best actress.