Who is your favourite James Bond actor?
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The new Bond film 'No Time to Die' is now showing in cinemas but it's also Daniel Craig's last performance as the super spy, so we thought we would give producer Barbara Broccoli a hand in choosing a new Bond by finding out who your favourite Bond is.
We're super excited about the release of the new James Bond film 'No Time to Die'. The film release was put on hold for 18 months due to the Coronavirus Pandemic because the studios were determined to make sure we get to enjoy the spectacle in cinemas, as it was intended. Film fans are in for a real treat because this Bond film is the longest ever made with a run time of 163 minutes of super spy action.
The new Bond film is also a bit of a special one because actor Daniel Craig who has now made 5 appearances as 007 will be handing in his licence to kill, along with his standard issue Walther PPK pistol and any of those high-tech secret agent gadgets and gizmos that might be tucked away in his tuxedo.
It's been a hugely successful role for Daniel Craig and he will probably always be up there as one of the best Bond's of all time. He's pretty much the whole package, face, voice and a torso that looks like it can stop 9mm bullets in their tracks.
Saying that there have been so many super successful Bond's which only makes producer Barbara Brocolli's job that much more difficult. She now has to find someone to fill the shoes of Her Majesty's most enigmatic secret service agent - no easy feat.
Often, the best way to make decisions for the future is to look at the past, so we are asking who your idea of the best ever James Bond is.
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig made his first appearance as 007 in Casino Royale, which brought him instant international fame. Following on from his debut, the actor performed in four other Bond Films, including Quantum of Solace, Skyfall (the series' highest-grossing film), Spectre, and No Time to Die. It's common knowledge that he had reservations about taking the role on. Producer Barbara Brocolli knows a good thing when she sees one. She was determined to sign up Daniel Craig and admitted to Vanity Fair that 'There was a period of trying to woo him.' Masterstroke Barbara!
Fun fact: Daniel Craig is the first Bond to be born after the series began. He is also the first Bond under 6 feet tall.
Pierce Brosnan
Irish American actor Pierce Brosnan played 007 a total of four times from 1995 to 2002 in the following films: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day.
Bond producers had their eyes on Brosnan for the role long before he debuted in GoldenEye. In fact he was asked to play Bond in The Living Daylights. However, he was forced to decline the role due to his other commitments, notably in Remington Steele. Timothy Dalton stepped in as Bond until the movie studio finally signed the actor up for GoldenEye.
Fun fact: Brosnan's first Bond film: GoldenEye was the first Bond motion picture to be a completely original Bond story and not based on a story by Ian Fleming.
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton was the fourth actor to play James Bond and he starred in two movies in the franchise - The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989). He was actually contracted to star in 3 Bond films but complicated legal wrangling between the studios went on for so long that he was freed from his contract to pursue other roles and never managed to film the third film, GoldenEye, played by Pierce Brosnan instead.
Bond producer at the time, Albert Broccoli had approached Dalton to offer home the role a couple of times before he actually accepted. Apparently, Dalton told the producers that he felt he was too young, and following in Sean Connery's footsteps is too difficult of a challenge for any actor.
Roger Moore
Probably the most gentleman version of all the Bond's and gifted with saint-like good looks, Roger Moore played 007 in seven movies over 12 years. The role came quite easily to the actor who had already spent seven years playing another British spy, Simon Templar, in the television series The Saint.
Roger Moore's personal experiences in life helped him shape a new type of Bond who didn't take things too seriously, even when the world's fate was hanging on a shoestring. Roger Moore had some experiences in his youth that turned him against guns and any kind of violence. One of those experiences was being shot in the leg with an air rifle by his brother.
Roger Moore Bond Films
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
- Octopussy (1983)
- A View To A Kill (1985)
- Moonraker (1979)
- The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
- Live And Let Die (1973)
- For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Fun fact: Roer Moore didn't like the way he looked when running so the producers agreed to let a body double perform all scenes that required the secret agent to run.
George Lazenby
Lazenby only played Bond once in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969 and famously quit his role before the premier. According to IMDB, the Australian actor said the Bond contract was too demanding and he would rather take on other film roles.
Fun fact: George Lazenby was the highest paid male model in Europe prior to playing James Bond. When he was cast as James Bond, he had no other acting experience except for TV commercials.
Sean Connery
The tough talking and physically formidable Sean Connery appeared in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. The Scottish actor was the first actor to portray the role of James Bond in Dr No. Other Bond performances include From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever and Never Say Never Again.
Fun fact: It is reported that Connery was paid a measly $16,000 for his role in the first Bond film Dr No. In his final performance as Bond in 1983's Never Say Never Again he was paid several million. Despite the bumper pay day, Connery wasn't happy with the role and openly criticised producers Broccoli and Saltzman saying 'This Bond image is a problem in a way, and a bit of a bore'.
Who will be the next James Bond?
We doubt very much that anything written above about the actors that have played Bond will sway your opinion on who you think was the best secret agent has been to date. We all have our own opinion so please register your vote above.
The really big question is who will be the next Bond? In an interview with Sky News, Barbara Broccoli wouldn't budge on even thinking about the topic of who would be replacing Daniel Craig, let alone give any hints of which direction they are looking in. Could the next 007 be played by a black actor or a woman? Both are very fresh and current ideas but it's anyone's guess.
Watch the official trailer of No Time to Die, out in cinemas in the UK from September 30th 2021.
