WHY hasn’t there been a black James Bond?, muses photographer Donald MacLellan, creator of a series of images of British black actors.

His exhibition, Want to See More of Me?, is the Scottish artist’s creative response to the woeful lack of main roles for non-white actors in the country’s film industry.

“There doesn’t seem to be that much diversity in film in this country. There are not that many stories from around the UK – they’re usually from London and usually quite middle class or costume dramas.

“If we produce 50 films a year, there must be room for one or two in there from other parts of society,” he insists.

“It became clear to me that there aren’t that many leading or non-stereotypical roles for black actors.

“My idea was to put a series of images together that would complement what the actors had done and show where there are gaps in films, in things like spy thrillers.

“Why can’t Noel Clarke be the lead in a spy thriller?”

The 33-year-old Doctor Who actor, who won the Orange Rising Star awards at last month’s Baftas, is shown wearing a rich red jumper, against a sumptuous red and gold background.

The 24 other portraits in the series, commissioned by the UK Film Council, include Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Red Dust, Kinky Boots) and Liverpool-born Paul Barber.

The exhibition in the Liverpool Playhouse foyer follows an extended run at the National Portrait Gallery.

MacLellan hired a stylist for the shoot, giving his subjects the freedom to choose what to wear for the portraits from a rail of clothing and hats.

Hustle’s Adrian Lester picked a maroon trilby, purple striped shirt and braces, while Okonedo went for a hooded coat.

“I’d like to think they weren’t acting in the photographs, but that’s their job at the end of the day so some of them may have been pulling poses that they were comfortable with from previous experience of being photographed or filmed,” says MacLellan, whose earlier work includes a series on Scottish actors, featuring Oscar winning Tilda Swinton.

“ I was never totally sure myself.”

WANT to See More of Me?, by Donald MacLellan, at Liverpool Playhouse until April 3.