Turned down a Bond film? Or was turned down?

in Bond Movies Posts: 2,006
After reading Jack Palance may have been a consideration for Scaramanga, I began to wonder about other actors who either turned down roles in Bond films or were turned down. Chiwetel Ejiofor was apparently up for Blofeld in SPECTRE. Not sure why he fell out, but a great choice. Jane Fonda as Tiffany Case? Or how about this head scratcher: Dick Van Dyke as Bond in OHMSS. At least he had the good sense to decline. Al Pacino as Medrano in QoS? Wow! That could have been something. You have to wonder how many later regretted turning down the role or a role in a Bond film. Who do you know who either took a pass or fell out of contention. How would they have fared?
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Comments

  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited August 2 Posts: 3,796
    You have to wonder how many later regretted turning down the role or a role in a Bond film.

    There's one: I remember Joan Collins being offered the role of Jill Masterson in Goldfinger, she later regretted turning down that role.

    Anyway, Catherine Deneuve was for me a sure ball for the role of Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me, and for sure, she could've done it better than Barbara Bach (given she's a real and experienced actress) it's interesting how she could've done that role, despite of me not being a fan of Anya (the character) due to the character's incompetence, but Bach's performance further dropped the character many notches for me. If Cubby just considered her request, Deneuve wanted the role so badly that she offered the producers to reduce her salary, but Cubby still rejected her.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,296
    I believe that Patrick McGoohan turned down the Bond role because as a Catholic he disapproved of the sex and violence of the stories.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited August 2 Posts: 24,216
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I believe that Patrick McGoohan turned down the Bond role because as a Catholic he disapproved of the sex and violence of the stories.

    Seriously? That's crazy. If the 'sex and violence' in the Bonds put him off, one wonders how many other roles he turned down.
  • Posts: 1,394
    Anthony Hopkins. I don't know about GE but he chose The Mask of Zorro instead of TND.
  • Posts: 2,165
    Two relating to NTTD (as that is most recent in memory):

    Lupito Nyong'o was in contention for presumably Lashanna Lynch's role, I think offers were made but it didn't work out.

    Polish actor Tomasz Kot was in contention for the villain role when Danny Boyle was headlining the film, but EoN and the studio wanted a bigger name. It was probably part of the reason they and Boyle parted ways, amongst others.
  • Posts: 7,518
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?
  • George_KaplanGeorge_Kaplan Being chauffeured by Tibbett
    edited August 2 Posts: 693
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!

    I think it was Drax he was considered for, but French production quotas demanded a native actor be cast.
  • edited August 2 Posts: 4,221
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    Yes, as well as a young Javier Bardem. Both turned it down, but I don’t think it’s known exactly why.

    The Bond casting for DN is most interesting to me in terms of who they considered. You get actors like Trevor Howard (who was a bit older and more quintessentially English) alongside Stanley Baker (younger, a bit more rugged, and overall more in the Connery mould). I know the latter turned it down outright, but I don’t know about Howard or how seriously he was considered. But it does show where the first film version of the character could have gone.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,296
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I believe that Patrick McGoohan turned down the Bond role because as a Catholic he disapproved of the sex and violence of the stories.

    Seriously? That's crazy. If the 'sex and violence' in the Bonds put him off, one wonders how many other roles he turned down.

    Yes, and he then went on to play a guest star killer in four Columbo episodes, the most anyone appeared in as the killer. Though perhaps he felt secret agents should use only their wits and guile to defeat villains and not kill or bed women? I'm not sure.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 2,120
    007HallY wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    Yes, as well as a young Javier Bardem. Both turned it down, but I don’t think it’s known exactly why.

    The Bond casting for DN is most interesting to me in terms of who they considered. You get actors like Trevor Howard (who was a bit older and more quintessentially English) alongside Stanley Baker (younger, a bit more rugged, and overall more in the Connery mould). I know the latter turned it down outright, but I don’t know about Howard or how seriously he was considered. But it does show where the first film version of the character could have gone.

    Trevor Howard would have played it like Dalton. Great actor Howard was. I've always enjoyed him.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 2,120
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    I think Mason was also considered for Bond in Dr.No.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 14,617
    Burt Reynolds not mentioned here yet.

    "An American can't play James Bond. It just can't be done."

    Respect.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,296
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    I think Mason was also considered for Bond in Dr.No.

    James Mason was originally considered for the role of Hugo Drax in Moonraker but I believe they had to cast a French actor as it was a Anglo-French co-production.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 2,120
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    I think Mason was also considered for Bond in Dr.No.

    James Mason was originally considered for the role of Hugo Drax in Moonraker but I believe they had to cast a French actor as it was a Anglo-French co-production.

    Yeah. Mason would have been good too.
  • Posts: 4,221
    007HallY wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    Yes, as well as a young Javier Bardem. Both turned it down, but I don’t think it’s known exactly why.

    The Bond casting for DN is most interesting to me in terms of who they considered. You get actors like Trevor Howard (who was a bit older and more quintessentially English) alongside Stanley Baker (younger, a bit more rugged, and overall more in the Connery mould). I know the latter turned it down outright, but I don’t know about Howard or how seriously he was considered. But it does show where the first film version of the character could have gone.

    Trevor Howard would have played it like Dalton. Great actor Howard was. I've always enjoyed him.

    I can imagine it would have been very different to what we got with Connery. I do think that without that element of wry humour that Young and Connery brought the character wouldn’t quite have worked onscreen (even though DN isn’t necessarily my favourite take on Bond).
  • Posts: 1,394
    Howard didn't have enough sex appeal to make it work.
  • Posts: 7,518
    QBranch wrote: »
    Burt Reynolds not mentioned here yet.

    "An American can't play James Bond. It just can't be done."

    Respect.

    And don't forget Clint Eastwood!! 😉
    He would have at least handled the gunplay and one liners!!🤪
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 2,120
    007HallY wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    Yes, as well as a young Javier Bardem. Both turned it down, but I don’t think it’s known exactly why.

    The Bond casting for DN is most interesting to me in terms of who they considered. You get actors like Trevor Howard (who was a bit older and more quintessentially English) alongside Stanley Baker (younger, a bit more rugged, and overall more in the Connery mould). I know the latter turned it down outright, but I don’t know about Howard or how seriously he was considered. But it does show where the first film version of the character could have gone.

    Trevor Howard would have played it like Dalton. Great actor Howard was. I've always enjoyed him.

    I can imagine it would have been very different to what we got with Connery. I do think that without that element of wry humour that Young and Connery brought the character wouldn’t quite have worked onscreen (even though DN isn’t necessarily my favourite take on Bond).

    True. That extra something. Something as little as Connery not putting his cigarette in his mouth completely as he talks.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,296
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    I think Mason was also considered for Bond in Dr.No.

    James Mason was originally considered for the role of Hugo Drax in Moonraker but I believe they had to cast a French actor as it was a Anglo-French co-production.

    Yeah. Mason would have been good too.

    Yes, Mason would've been perfect for the role of a Bond villain. It's a shame it never happened. He was great as the villain in the proto-Bond film North by Northwest (1959). He had such a great voice and elegant presence.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 2,120
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    I believe James Mason was originally considered for Stromberg in TSWLM, think he would have been an improvement over Jurgens, who I found a bit boring!
    Of course David Bowie was original choice for Max Zorin in AVTAK, they made the right choice with Walken though!
    I think I recall reading somewhere that Jean Reno (Leon) was first considered for Renard in TWINE?

    I think Mason was also considered for Bond in Dr.No.

    James Mason was originally considered for the role of Hugo Drax in Moonraker but I believe they had to cast a French actor as it was a Anglo-French co-production.

    Yeah. Mason would have been good too.

    Yes, Mason would've been perfect for the role of a Bond villain. It's a shame it never happened. He was great as the villain in the proto-Bond film North by Northwest (1959). He had such a great voice and elegant presence.

    Yeah. I really enjoy his voice and like you say "elegance" too.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,796
    Someone in Reddit asked what could've happened if Liam Neeson was cast as Bond in 1995 instead of Brosnan?

    To be honest, when it comes to Bond Actors, I don't see any of those considered alternatives would've worked, although I could possibly see Ian Ogilvy in early 80s being Bond (considering that Moore was too old to play the role) and he had shown charm and action when he replaced Moore as Simon Templar in The Saint (1970s), but then I'm not sure we could've gotten Dalton, unless he quit the role in 1986.

    The most interesting in this casting alternatives/what ifs were the Bond Girl roles and the villains, yes, I think Mason would've been a great villain (his looks alone could intimidate and a great actor), the same for Jan Werich as Blofeld in YOLT, or Teodor Bikel as Goldfinger (more closer to the book version than Gert Frobe was, although I still liked Frobe, he's iconic and sold the role really well), and in Bond Girls, it's a shame Raquel Welch never got to be a Bond Girl too.
  • Posts: 1,394
    Lewis Collins could have worked in the early 80s.
  • SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷SecretAgentMan⁰⁰⁷ Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
    edited August 2 Posts: 2,120
    It's funny how almost all the actors from the Golden Era of Hollywood up to the 60s, looked like they could play James Bond easily. Guys like Stephen Boyd and Dana Andrews for example.
  • Posts: 6,003
    For GF : Orson Welles was approached to play Goldfinger, but was rejected because he asked too much money. Theodore Bikel did some auditions as well (which you can find in the boni of the Ultimate Edition DVD), but was rejected as well.

    For YOLT, Czech actor Jan Werich was approached, but the producers thought he looked too much like Santa Claus to play the ruthless head of an international criminal cartel.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,796
    Gerard wrote: »
    For YOLT, Czech actor Jan Werich was approached, but the producers thought he looked too much like Santa Claus to play the ruthless head of an international criminal cartel.

    Thought of this too, but neither was Pleasance came off as intimidating to me, Jan Werich looked more like an evil mogul in a realistic way, unlike Pleasance who had a mild face.
  • Posts: 7,518
    Gerard wrote: »
    For GF : Orson Welles was approached to play Goldfinger, but was rejected because he asked too much money. Theodore Bikel did some auditions as well (which you can find in the boni of the Ultimate Edition DVD), but was rejected as well.

    For YOLT, Czech actor Jan Werich was approached, but the producers thought he looked too much like Santa Claus to play the ruthless head of an international criminal cartel.

    I believe it was director Lewis Gilbert who made the "Santa Claus" comment. And Werich fell ill before shooting and Donald Pleasance was a late replacement!
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    Posts: 3,154
    Bowie turned down the offer to play Zorin because he 'didn't want to spend five months watching my double fall off mountains'! He also claimed that Sting was offered the role after him.
  • edited August 2 Posts: 4,221
    Not a fan of Pleasance's Blofeld, but I suspect it was for the best they ended up with him over Werich. I'm sure he was a good actor (never seen anything of his one way or the other) but I get the sense he lacked something gripping about him that makes a great Bond villain. Pleasance, as much as he was phoning it in, gives the audience something, specifically those little moments of madness in Blofeld - the menacing grins, the widening of the eyes, how he delivers certain lines etc. It's just a tick away from being hammy, but it never quite goes there. Without those little touches I suspect Blofeld looses his menace in that film. His appearance with the scar is iconic but also quite creepy in its own way. For the limited role Blofeld was given in YOLT I think it worked. If Blofeld's reveal had been underwhelming I think it would have been a low point of the series.

    Max von Sydow was also a great actor, but made a pretty dull Blofeld in NSNA. It may well have been a similar issue with Werich - there's just something lacking, perhaps a bit too much subtlety. Sometimes an actor is better off going bigger to play a Bond villain.
  • Posts: 1,394
    Pleasance is iconic but he wasn't the faceless Blofeld.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,296
    Venutius wrote: »
    Bowie turned down the offer to play Zorin because he 'didn't want to spend five months watching my double fall off mountains'! He also claimed that Sting was offered the role after him.

    That's another one I was thinking of. Apparently Cubby liked that he had two different coloured eyes.
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