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Along the same lines, the other night I was watching Casino Royale and something really stood out to me that I had somewhat previously noticed. During the "Bodyworks" sequence, when Dimitrios pulls the knife on Bond, I am struck by how small Craig looks in this shot, not only in relation to Dimitrios but to most everyone in the shot.
Hiddleston speaks like an english public school boy and Bond is a public school boy. Nope nothing like Prince Charles who speaks like an overt toff.....which is understandable.
Hardy is 2 inches smaller than Craig. Craig is average UK height at 5'10". Hardy is below at 5'8". That's a automatic rejection without interview......CV in the bin!
Think it was his ritual build up to activating pain face, he does make alot of random noices.
He looks like an amiable architect, not a gentleman killer.
I’m not sure it’s quite as simple as that. In a reductive sense, those are the basic requirements. But they also allow a lot of actors not well suited to the role through and omit many who are. When casting Bond, you are not just casting someone with the ‘look’ – you also need charisma and screen presence.
Here’s an example – Lazenby had the look. He satisfies (most) of your requirements (he’s from the Commonwealth, at the very least) but he was an uninspired choice. He was boring, bland and lacked charisma. The most painful thing is that it showed on screen.
Now contrast that with Daniel Craig – someone who didn’t fit the traditional bill. He was blonde, short, gruff and far from traditionally handsome. However, he had a certain intensity and intimidatingly suave presence that works on screen. His laconic style comes across as effortless and cool.
While having a reductive criteria is helping in getting the riff-raff out, it doesn’t help grabbing a more inspired choice. Do we really want another typical choice or someone radical like Craig?
So who is an example of a choice like this?
Well, I would say Idris Elba is (I’m not going to descend into the whole ‘black’ argument). But it’s undeniable that Elba does not fit the traditional mould. However, he’s very cool, suave and debonair. Plus he’s got sexual charisma and charm to spare. I’m not saying any charming ethic man can be Bond, but Elba has a certain quality which makes him ideal for the role. So he would work – he’s probably too old and not commercially right for the role right now but (even his most ardent critic would admit) worth considering at the very least.
Another actor with a similar dilemma would be Cillian Murphy. Once again, he does not suit the bill at all. But his portrayal in Peaky Blinders has shown that he can bring a cool and sexy efficacy to the screen. There’s a haunted and demonic feel to him, that is more suited to playing the villain (people said the same thing about Craig), but he could bring something very interesting to the role.
Another choice may be Jack O’Connell. He’s a bit younger and shorter than we are used to. He’s also very working class and gruff. But he has an intensity and feral quality that is very reminiscent of Tom Hardy. He’s got a cocksure sort of confidence that is very similar to Fleming’s Bond. Basically, he’s arrogant but wears it very well. I think he would be interesting.
So just a few examples of people who don’t fit the mould. But are all valid and worthy of consideration. I’m just saying that the choice isn’t limited to square-jawed, posh, white men in their 30s/40s. If anything the more inspired decisions come from thinking outside the box.
A vast majority of my friends are ex-public schoolboys too and they sound much more plumby than Eaton-boy Hiddles.
Craig fitted the bill to all my starting points above?
I said as a 'starting point' not the mould.
Elba is black so an automatic no for the character of Bond. Shaft/ Blade yes. Hardy is too short....automatic no.
Warwick Davis would be 'interesting', but unfortunately he's a midget.
He gets bashed around here quite a bit, but I agree with you. He does certainly sound more posh than anyone in my school did (save for one eccentric chap with a curious fixation for buses), but I love it nonetheless. Bond could do with a little more upper class style imho.
No to Cillian Murphy or Jack O'Connell for me. Murphy couldn't play in the same league as Bale in Bat or Leonardo & Hardy in Inception imho. O'Connell was outclassed by Clooney in Money Monster. Elba meets all the criteria apart from two obvious ones (age and colour). A black Bond is not sellable globally (yet) and as has been mentioned, the character is white (although there is absolutely no reason why he technically can't be black).
Unfortunately, you’re right. I thought the climate may have been right for a black actor in the role but things have taken a turn. 2016 happened. The internet has created an outlet for people to spread hate and vitriol.
Just look at the hate the pretty innocuous idea of having female Ghostbusters caused? That film crashed and burned at the box office, despite strong reviews. You need fan support to create buzz. Message boards and comment sections are lethal these days and can kill the word. People feel a legitimate ownership over these properties and don’t want the fundamental fabric of them tampered with. Plus Trump and Brexit have started to legitimise racism and hate.
I think Eon will pay attention – it doesn’t make good commercial sense to have a black actor currently. Maybe back in 2006 it would have worked, but not today.
“Outside of the box” contenders doesn’t necessarily mean black actors. Having said that there are some great choices currently. David Oyelwo was ripped for Othello and clearly got on well with Broccoli (she hosted a special screening of his film Queen of Katwe in New York and they did a Q&A together). Also Chiwetel Ejiofer is a marvellous actor and showed some real grit in the otherwise woeful Triple 9.
Personally, I’d rather they did something new. Craig was a huge departure from the pretty boy Pierce Brosnan types mentioned back in 2004-5. I was something interesting this time around. I’m really not interested in seeing a Tom Hiddleston, Aidan Turner, Henry Cavill, James Norton type. They’re all a little uninspired.
Can’t we have someone intriguing like Craig? Alternatively, an objectively great actor with serious clout like Michael Fassbender or Tom Hardy.
I don’t want a boring and agreeable choice (I’m looking at you Aidan Turner)
Yes and No. From an economic viewpoint it is less likely that Bond would be black. He is an officer in the navy (it is quite a rare for high ranking officers to be black). Also he is a public school boy. Black people are still the lowest paid ethnic group in the UK. But that's beside the point as there is no point in changing the classic character just to be PC.
Not really a fair statement, but OK.
My earlier comment was more in relation to the global audience, which is growing. While North American and British fans may accept a black actor in the role (with reservations), I don't think it will be sellable globally, including in Asia. Moreover, the change for the sake of change may turn off some fans.
Fair points. I went to an English boy's public school some decades back and I have the entire school photo above my computer. There are several Indian blokes but only two black ones in the entire photo. I never noticed that before. I agree that change to accommodate a pc outlook isn't appropriate, but if there was an outstanding candidate, I'd be open to him. The chances of that are slim just on a pure probability level (there is a far smaller pool of choices).
referring to Scarsgard here just actors in general because really decent Brits for the role are proving tricky to pin down at the moment.
A good looking dude but in an untraditional way. Looks like he could seduce but could intimidate equally as well. He's stylish and masculine. His voice is good as well. I don't even need to mention his sex appeal.