Spectre: Naomie Harris steals the show in cut-out dress at lavish premiere

The 39-year-old Londoner slipped on a form-fitting strapless gown by Stella McCartney, which featured a longer-than-average train – and which she needed assistance with at times.

Big, bold and brash – the latest Bond makes quite a statement – but it’s a very different animal to Skyfall. “She’s quite capable and independent”.

Spectre’s Royal premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall was the place to be.

Harris also suggested that the spy be played by a female. You’re going to fall in love with Bond.

Naomie praised the cast and crew, who had also worked on Skyfall, describing them “like a family”. The fact of the matter is that you just want a Bond who inhabits all the essential qualities of Bond: “The charisma, the sexual magnetism, the skill in the field, the elements of danger, his charm and wit”, she said.

“She (Swann) is supposed to have the traditional role of being rescued, but actually she rejects his help and is like “I’ve got this, I’ll do this on my own”, Harris said.

That decision eventually led to Naomie taking on a series of tough roles, which spiked the interest of the Bond producers, and now she has picked up where Lois Maxwell left off as 007’s sexy and savvy sidekick. “And I didn’t think I had the right… assets!”

Pussy, famously played by Honor Blackman in Goldfinger when she was 39, was the nation’s favourite 007 leading lady.

At the same time, the new Moneypenny does not secretly pine for Bond; but rather, it’s Bond who feels jealous when she’s with someone else. Moneypenny is the only one he can confide in about the true nature of his mission and she helps him’.

Talking about who could be the successor to Daniel Craig’s Bond, Ben revealed the Spectre gang had once spent the night discussing that very question.

She told the Radio Times magazine: “It’s changed my career”. “I think he’s a very guarded man, I get the feeling he’s a pretty solitary human being”.

As impressive a film as I’ve seen this year, with as many famous British faces that you won’t be able to place until the day after, Spectre is a triumph – how do you follow that? “Financiers look at you differently because you appeal to a much wider demographic”.