Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    While Bond needs to be fit for sure, being a killer and being rock hard means far, far more than having big muscles.

    I have been around loads of boxing and martial arts gyms and I've seen dozens of big and tough looking guys get embarrassed by much skinnier but more talented pretty boys.

    Ant Middleton is the current face of the SAS but his body type (very similar to Craig's) is not necessarily typical of the SAS. It certainly wasn't typical until quite recently.

    Basically, being big doesn't make you hard.

    Craig has never been big; even in CR. he is lean and muscular. People talk about how huge he was, but that just isn’t accurate. The scene that is most often noted is when he comes out of the water. The illusion of him being bigger is a result of framing and lighting.
    All of the Ocean Club scenes were shot during the same time period; if you look at him in every other scene he doesn’t look hulking, he looks like a fit, athletic man who is in that kind of shape not out of vanity but because he knows that he needs to be up to the challenges of being a double 0

  • FatherValentineFatherValentine England
    edited October 2021 Posts: 737
    talos7 wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    While Bond needs to be fit for sure, being a killer and being rock hard means far, far more than having big muscles.

    I have been around loads of boxing and martial arts gyms and I've seen dozens of big and tough looking guys get embarrassed by much skinnier but more talented pretty boys.

    Ant Middleton is the current face of the SAS but his body type (very similar to Craig's) is not necessarily typical of the SAS. It certainly wasn't typical until quite recently.

    Basically, being big doesn't make you hard.

    Craig has never been big; even in CR. he is lean and muscular. People talk about how huge he was, but that just isn’t accurate. The scene that is most often noted is when he comes out of the water. The illusion of him being bigger is a result of framing and lighting.
    All of the Ocean Club scenes were shot during the same time period; if you look at him in every other scene he doesn’t look hulking, he looks like a fit, athletic man who is in that kind of shape not out of vanity but because he knows that he needs to be up to the challenges of being a double 0

    Absolutely, you're correct. I wasn't knocking Craig at all. I meant that just because Brosnan doesn't look tough, doesn't mean that he isn't. I was supporting Brosnan, rather than criticising Craig.

    Am happy with Craig's look very much, but doesn't mean that the next actor has to have an identical body. That's all I meant.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,731
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I can - Michael Fassbender is a shoe-in for Bond in a way that Hardy is not. An even more accomplished actor, perfect looks and not much older I think.
    Both of them may be too far past 40 though if EoN want a young reboot
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    AceHole wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I can - Michael Fassbender is a shoe-in for Bond in a way that Hardy is not. An even more accomplished actor, perfect looks and not much older I think.
    Both of them may be too far past 40 though if EoN want a young reboot

    They are the same age.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    This may be stating the obvious, but I think the actor who will eventually cast is at the moment between the ages of 25 and 35.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 526
    mtm wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.

    A good point to be sure. If Hardy gets it, or whomever, I’d like to see the character go even darker than Craig’s Bond. Even more extreme about drinking, being a let’s man, and gambling. Get rid of the quips, no vodka Martinis, just straight Vodka (maybe Vodka on the rocks). Think Fleming amplified. Push the PG 13 to the max. This Bond also uses foul language (something no other Bond hs really done). I’d love to see a rated R Bond, but that won’t happen. Push it to the limits though. Up the violence, and really push it. This guy is haunted by demons, but he copes with it by doing his job.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    mtm wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.

    A good point to be sure. If Hardy gets it, or whomever, I’d like to see the character go even darker than Craig’s Bond. Even more extreme about drinking, women, and gambling. Get rid of the quips, no vodka Martinis, just straight Vodka (maybe Vodka on the rocks). Think Fleming amplified.

    Fleming s Bond preferred whisky.
  • Posts: 16,154
    talos7 wrote: »
    This may be stating the obvious, but I think the actor who will eventually cast is at the moment between the ages of 25 and 35.

    I think he's even younger. I'd say at this very moment, he's just learning to walk and can speak a few words. Hopefully he has enough grace to be able to perform the gun barrel walk, and hopefully his first words are " Bond, James Bond".
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 181
    So they released the first image of Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (6'2, 33 years old) as Brian Epstein (the Beatles music manager) in a biopic about him called Midas Man. I actually thought of him for Bond when I saw him in The Queens Gambit. There was something I liked about him, he's got a charm. I wasn't sure if others would agree based on looks, but here he is now in a tux looking Bond-like.

    0_LEC_RPAT_B-Epstein_22102021.jpg

    According to the article producer Kevin Proctor says, “One of the reasons we loved Jacob for this role is that Brian Epstein was the personification of dapper, quintessential charisma, and Jacob felt like the man to bring that to life." Hmm...
  • Posts: 380
    I've no objection to swearing in general, big Billy Connolly fan here and he can swear like no-one else, but it's completely out of place in Bond. Didn't like the use of the f word in Skyfall and again now in NTTD. It's unnecessary, the film's managed perfectly well with no swearing from 1962 til 2008.
  • Posts: 526
    mtm wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.

    A good point to be sure. If Hardy gets it, or whomever, I’d like to see the character go even darker than Craig’s Bond. Even more extreme about drinking, women, and gambling. Get rid of the quips, no vodka Martinis, just straight Vodka (maybe Vodka on the rocks). Think Fleming amplified.

    Fleming s Bond preferred whisky.

    Great point. Thumbs up !
  • Posts: 133
    I really don't think we need a Craig 2.0.
    We've seen a harder and more emotional take on the Bond character since 15 years now - it's getting a bit boring at this point (in my opinion). It's time to bring some classic elements back - without going overboard, though.
    Of course mainly the actor should bring some new elements to the role, and shouldn't be just a copy or a "Best of" attempt of the actors before. This probably will be the main challenge after 6 actors - and will depend on the script too.
  • talos7 wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    While Bond needs to be fit for sure, being a killer and being rock hard means far, far more than having big muscles.

    I have been around loads of boxing and martial arts gyms and I've seen dozens of big and tough looking guys get embarrassed by much skinnier but more talented pretty boys.

    Ant Middleton is the current face of the SAS but his body type (very similar to Craig's) is not necessarily typical of the SAS. It certainly wasn't typical until quite recently.

    Basically, being big doesn't make you hard.

    Craig has never been big; even in CR. he is lean and muscular. People talk about how huge he was, but that just isn’t accurate. The scene that is most often noted is when he comes out of the water. The illusion of him being bigger is a result of framing and lighting.
    All of the Ocean Club scenes were shot during the same time period; if you look at him in every other scene he doesn’t look hulking, he looks like a fit, athletic man who is in that kind of shape not out of vanity but because he knows that he needs to be up to the challenges of being a double 0

    Exactly. I always laugh when people say Craig is huge or "hulking". He's not. He got into great shape for the role and just so happens to look physically better than his predecessors.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,368
    He did put on mass though; in Layer Cake he's very fit but a lot leaner.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Craig kicked his own ass to be the most authentically fit Bond in cinema history.
    His work ethic is incomparable. I will miss him as Bond for a great many reasons.

    My personal wish would be just give me even two Bond films with Idris Elba as Bond. He does fit the role so superbly and his natural charm is perfect for Bond.

    However, I feel that surely they will go with a younger Bond because a different path from Daniel's Bond is clearly called for. I don't want someone in their 20s, but early to mid 30s seems right. I'm not seeing anybody interesting so far, except maybe Nicholas Hoult. Theo James is a near miss for me. I would like to have a different ethnic looking Bond next, if the right actor is found. As @thelivingroyale pointed out earlier it is a good time for this. Craig has blown the door open for a fresh start, and a bold start as long as they get someone with very fine acting chops ... and who does look different from Daniel Craig ... that's fine. I just don't want the to go "too" young with their choice.
  • sandbagger1sandbagger1 Sussex
    Posts: 941
    I can't say Idris Elba was ever my idea of a good fit for Bond. If you were going to go with a black actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor would have been my choice - much more public school, and imo a better actor than almost anyone of his generation.
  • I do wonder if with the next Bond, they go for someone arguably more tougher than Craig. I’d imagine they want the action scenes bumped up to 10x for the next Bond and his era.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    mtm wrote: »
    He did put on mass though; in Layer Cake he's very fit but a lot leaner.

    Not as much as some think. As I’ve said, look at all of the scenes shot at the Ocean Club; the only one where he looks larger is when he comes out of the water. He is no bigger there than in other scenes but look so because of framing , lighting and shot composition.

    In the end, Craig’s physique is perfectly reasonable for portraying some one with a Special Forces background.
  • Posts: 3,327
    mtm wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.

    A good point to be sure. If Hardy gets it, or whomever, I’d like to see the character go even darker than Craig’s Bond. Even more extreme about drinking, women, and gambling. Get rid of the quips, no vodka Martinis, just straight Vodka (maybe Vodka on the rocks). Think Fleming amplified.

    Fleming s Bond preferred whisky.

    Great point. Thumbs up !

    I thought it was bourbon?
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited October 2021 Posts: 16,368
    talos7 wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    He did put on mass though; in Layer Cake he's very fit but a lot leaner.

    Not as much as some think.

    Well I don’t know how much exactly people think he put on! :D But if you look at Layer Cake he’s really quite lean, there’s a noticeable increase in bulk between that and CR, that’s all I’m saying.

    Layer-Cake-006.jpg?width=620&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=6fccf7dc6828848fa8e48f914a044e13
  • Posts: 526
    mtm wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.

    A good point to be sure. If Hardy gets it, or whomever, I’d like to see the character go even darker than Craig’s Bond. Even more extreme about drinking, women, and gambling. Get rid of the quips, no vodka Martinis, just straight Vodka (maybe Vodka on the rocks). Think Fleming amplified.

    Fleming s Bond preferred whisky.

    Great point. Thumbs up !

    I thought it was bourbon?

    Mostly Scotch Whisky and soda. Although he would drink and did drink almost any form of alcohol...a lot ;)
  • Posts: 6,709
    mtm wrote: »
    I just can’t see anyone fitting the role better than Tom Hardy. I know he’s in his 40’s, but he can dang sure act. He can do the physicality. Makes me think of Fleming’s Bond. He starred in Fury Road, and critically, that’s one of the greatest action movies ever made. I forget the name of the movie, but the entire film is him having dialogue on a phone -how many people could pull that off? I think when Craig introduced the cut, athletic physique, there’s no getting away from that I’m the future. James Bond should not have an average body. The man is a world class assassin and physicality is inevitable. Did anyone seriously look at Brosnan and say, “gosh, I wouldn’t mess with him.” And honestly, you could say that about all of the Bonds before Craig. DC left a huge imprint. Also in regards to Hardy, he has charisma to burn.

    I think he would be really good, yes. But even if he weren't a touch too old to be starting a series, I wonder if he'd less keen to take over from Craig as they are quite similar types- I feel like he'd really be inviting comparison.

    A good point to be sure. If Hardy gets it, or whomever, I’d like to see the character go even darker than Craig’s Bond. Even more extreme about drinking, women, and gambling. Get rid of the quips, no vodka Martinis, just straight Vodka (maybe Vodka on the rocks). Think Fleming amplified.

    Fleming s Bond preferred whisky.

    Great point. Thumbs up !

    I thought it was bourbon?

    Mostly Scotch Whisky and soda. Although he would drink and did drink almost any form of alcohol...a lot ;)

    https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/every-whisky-james-bond-007-drank-macallan-jack-daniels/
  • MSL49MSL49 Finland
    Posts: 395
    Rupert Friend he is 40 now.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    Posts: 1,318
    Well, well, well...

  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,205
    This reporter should be embarrassed; I doubt if he wrote the questions but they’re ludicrous.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    Posts: 1,318
    talos7 wrote: »
    This reporter should be embarrassed; I doubt if he wrote the questions but they’re ludicrous.

    Indeed, a bit of a douche, made quite the mockery of it.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,731
    talos7 wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    He did put on mass though; in Layer Cake he's very fit but a lot leaner.

    Not as much as some think. As I’ve said, look at all of the scenes shot at the Ocean Club; the only one where he looks larger is when he comes out of the water. He is no bigger there than in other scenes but look so because of framing , lighting and shot composition.

    In the end, Craig’s physique is perfectly reasonable for portraying some one with a Special Forces background.

    Many are not aware that (most) action film actors usually ‘get pumped up’ before wide-shot torso scenes.
    E.g by doing a few sets of pushups, pull-ups and overhead presses an already muscular actor can easily look like he has +9lbs/4kg more lean mass than pre-pump.
    The beach scene in CR is one such example.

    DC was probably about 6-8lbs heavier in CR than any of the next 4 though.
  • Posts: 2,162
    AceHole wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    He did put on mass though; in Layer Cake he's very fit but a lot leaner.

    Not as much as some think. As I’ve said, look at all of the scenes shot at the Ocean Club; the only one where he looks larger is when he comes out of the water. He is no bigger there than in other scenes but look so because of framing , lighting and shot composition.

    In the end, Craig’s physique is perfectly reasonable for portraying some one with a Special Forces background.

    Many are not aware that (most) action film actors usually ‘get pumped up’ before wide-shot torso scenes.
    E.g by doing a few sets of pushups, pull-ups and overhead presses an already muscular actor can easily look like he has +9lbs/4kg more lean mass than pre-pump.
    The beach scene in CR is one such example.

    DC was probably about 6-8lbs heavier in CR than any of the next 4 though.

    Or, in some cases, dehydration, which is as horrible as it sounds.

    https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/news/a53724/hugh-jackman-logan-workout/
  • Posts: 12,526
    I have no idea as a new name seems to pop up every five minutes! :))
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