French actress Lea Seydoux has been cast in a Bond Girl role for the 24th James Bond film according to reports.

The ever reliable Daily Mail, who have a well placed mole inside the recent 007 productions, have confirmed that Seydoux has been signed for the film.

Scandinavian actresses had been heavily scouted for the role in recent months, but it is understood that the role has been re-written to accommodate Seydoux's French nationality. The character was originally rumoured to be a '30-40 year-old, attractive, sophisticated, cool and calm secret agent'

She joins the swelling ranks of French actresses who have played leading ladies in the Bond franchise. Notable names in adventures past include Claudine Auger, Corrine Clery, Carole Bouquet, Sophie Marceau, Eva Green, and most recently, Berenice Marlohe.

Seydoux began her acting career in French cinema, coming to attention after she won the Trophee Chopard Award for Female Revelation of the Year at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Cesar Award for Most Promising Actress for her performance in 'The Beautiful Person' (2008).

Since then, the 29 year-old has appeared in major Hollywood films including 'Inglourious Basterds' (2009), 'Robin Hood' (2010), 'Midnight in Paris' (2011) and 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' (2011). She was nominated for the Cesar Award for Best Actress for her role in 'Farewell, My Queen' (2012) and in 2013 she was awarded the Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival for the film 'Blue Is the Warmest Colour'. In 2014, she was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award and the Cesar Award for Best Actress. The same year, she starred in the films 'Beauty and the Beast', 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and 'Saint Laurent'. She will next appear in 'The Lobster and in 'Diary of a Chambermaid'.