After asking and being turned down by everyone else, the producers of the next 007 movie Casino Royale have hired their new Bond babe. Banging Bond in his 21st film will be Chronicles of Riddick and Crash star Thandie Newton.

According to a report in the British newspaper The Sun, she’ll play a character named Vesper Lynd. Though her name sounds a lot like a car, she’s actually another spy. Whether she’s working for the competition, or for the same people as Bond remains to be seen.

Before settling on Thandie many of Hollywood’s top, bikini-capable actresses were offered the part. Included in that list were Angelina Jolie (pre-pregnancy), Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johanssson, and some rumors say even Jessica Simpson. All turned the part down, citing concerns over type-casting or a general disinterest in playing such a one-dimensional character.

So they’ve settled on Thandie, who got some buzz earlier this year with a great turn in Crash, but who’s not a big enough name that she can afford to turn down this sort of high profile role. She ought to have no problem playing the part, since it’s basically one she’s played before. She had an equivalent role opposite Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible II, which, let’s face it, is James Bond with Tom Cruise.