Younger actors who auditioned for Bond “didn’t have the gravitas”

by

This article was originally published on 11th April, 2023.

The hunt for the next James Bond after Daniel Craig is still underway, but recent news indicates that the director of the upcoming Bond film, Denis Villeneuve, and his team are hoping to cast someone new and unknown in the iconic role.

There’s also been talk that younger actors, like Tom Holland and Harris Dickinson, both 29, could be considered for the role.

When we began choosing actors for Casino Royale, the atmosphere was a bit different,” McWilliams explained. The film portrayed Bond at the beginning of his career with MI6.

We considered many younger actors, but ultimately felt they lacked the maturity, experience, and emotional strength to handle the role. It’s not just about learning lines; it’s a huge undertaking with a lot of pressure.

“So we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again.”

However, the next James Bond doesn’t need to be a well-known celebrity, according to McWilliams. He believes the best actor for the role should be chosen regardless of their current fame, noting that previous Bond actors weren’t always famous before taking on the part.

Before becoming James Bond, Timothy Dalton was primarily recognized as a Shakespearean performer. Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore were both known from their work on television. Sean Connery, however, was a complete unknown before taking on the role – no one knew who he was.

  • Read more: How to choose the next James Bond, with casting boss Debbie McWilliams

While some people recognized the name Daniel Craig, he was mostly known to fans of independent films. Before becoming James Bond, he hadn’t appeared in any major blockbuster movies. ‘Layer Cake’ from 2004 was probably his most well-known role at that point, but he wasn’t a widely famous actor yet.

Martin Campbell, the director of Casino Royale, shared that Henry Cavill auditioned for the role of Bond for that film. At the time, Cavill was only 22 years old and ultimately wasn’t chosen because the producers felt he was too young for the part.

Ever since Daniel Craig hung up his Walther PPK after *No Time to Die* in 2021, the rumor mill has been working overtime trying to figure out who’s next to play Bond. I’ve seen names like Henry Cavill – who’s 42 now – thrown around, along with stars like Regé-Jean Page from *Bridgerton* (he’s 37), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (35), Idris Elba (53), Jack Lowden who I really enjoyed in *Slow Horses* (also 35), Tom Hardy (48), and James Norton (40). It’s a pretty interesting mix of possibilities, honestly!

It feels strange to think about a new James Bond being cast, but things are changing behind the scenes. For years, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were the ones guiding the franchise, making all the creative decisions. Now, though, Amazon MGM Studios is taking over that role entirely. It’s a big shift, and I’m curious to see what direction they’ll take the character in!

Read More

2025-10-10 12:04