When Phoebe Waller-Bridge was brought in to punch up the script for No Time to Die, it was a very "Celebrities, they really are just like us!" moment: It was Daniel Craig who suggested Waller-Bridge for the job, thus revealing to the world that James Bond is just as big of a Fleabag fan as the rest of us. Waller-Bridge was specifically brought in to apply some of her famous wit to the Bond 25 script, which also counts Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Scott Z. Burns, and director Cary Fukunaga among its credited writers. During a recent chat with The Sunday Times, Craig was asked about Waller-Bridge's hiring, but instead of inquiring about her contributions to the tone and plot of No Time to Die, the interviewer wanted to know if the mastermind behind Fleabag and Killing Eve was a diversity hire – and 007 had No Time For That Bullshit:
Look, we’re having a conversation about Phoebe’s gender here, which is fucking ridiculous. She’s a great writer. Why shouldn’t we get Phoebe onto ‘Bond?’
Yes, exactly, but also:
I know where you’re going, but I don’t actually want to have that conversation. I know what you’re trying to do, but it’s wrong. It’s absolutely wrong. She’s a fucking great writer. One of the best English writers around. I said, ‘Can we get her on the film?’ That’s where I came from (...) I had my eye on her ever since the first ‘Fleabag,’ and then I saw ‘Killing Eve’ and what she did with that and just wanted her voice. It is so unique — we are very privileged to have her on board.
Daniel Craig knows his place: it is a privilege to have Phoeber Waller-Bridge involved with this movie, and he will not accept any inferences to the contrary, thank you and good day.