Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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Comments

  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    Posts: 5,970
    I find Turner would be best for a television adaptation of literary Bond as opposed to leading the film franchise.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,264
    Denbigh wrote: »
    I find Turner would be best for a television adaptation of literary Bond as opposed to leading the film franchise.

    Not even that. If they'd ever do a television adaptation, I hope they'll think even more out of the box and go bold and risky.
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    Agree with @DarthDimi ... If I thought Aidan Turner was Bond material, seen through my eyes, I'd state it, and not hide my feelings about him.

    Unfortunately I too find him bland and stagey and I don't want to see that in Bond.

    No harm, no foul.

    Glad I'm not the only one, @peter. I don't dislike Turner, I have nothing against him, but people can repeat his name as often as they want to, I don't see him as Bond and quite surely never will.

    It blows my mind, but indeed to each his own.

    We agree about that. ;-)
  • edited December 2022 Posts: 4,310
    Turner reminds me of Clive Owen (who I guess was rumoured for Bond around 2005). I mean, the idea of both playing Bond makes sense on paper... sort of. Neither are too famous, but not unknown. Both look like generic 'James Bond' types. And yet there's just something off about them for this particular role. I dunno what it is. Maybe I just can't see either of them bringing anything unique to the part or giving us interesting performances.
  • edited December 2022 Posts: 784
    Turner looks more Bond than Clive ever did.

    ATJ wouldn't be a bad choice.

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  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    edited December 2022 Posts: 1,318
    It's clear some of us are miles apart in our assessments of some actors their qualities. That's OK, as I most likely dislike your frontrunners as well. Still, I hope Turner will be Bond and prove all of you wrong. I truly hope it won't be ATJ (American jock look-a-like). Why try and fix something when it's not broken. Back to the roots, Aidan Turner, a marvelous script (which we haven't had in years). Count your blessings.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    edited December 2022 Posts: 41,011
    I don't think Turner being cast would prove anybody "wrong", considering they're looking for someone 10 years his junior. They're not going to cast someone who's already in their 40s anymore when it takes 3-5 years to release a new installment. It's just not feasible.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,264
    Why would Turner take us back to the roots? He's neither a Hoagy Carmichael nor a Sean Connery. He's more like Pierce's cousin twice removed.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    edited December 2022 Posts: 1,318
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Why would Turner take us back to the roots? He's neither a Hoagy Carmichael nor a Sean Connery. He's more like Pierce's cousin twice removed.

    Again, what you see in Turner is worlds apart from myself and many many others on here, let alone globally. Turner literally looks like he could be Dalton's lost son and we all know Dalts resembles literary Bond, in more than one way. With the right director Turner could be an unstoppable force, which Bond in the end kind of is as well. So again, agree to disagree.

    @Creasy47

    We will see who they cast, Turner's chances aren't totally gone I think. But hey what do I know.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,264
    I see nothing of Dalton in Turner to be honest. I wish I did. I'd love a return to the Dalton Bond.
  • Posts: 15,234
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    peter wrote: »
    Agree with @DarthDimi ... If I thought Aidan Turner was Bond material, seen through my eyes, I'd state it, and not hide my feelings about him.

    Unfortunately I too find him bland and stagey and I don't want to see that in Bond.

    No harm, no foul.

    Glad I'm not the only one, @peter. I don't dislike Turner, I have nothing against him, but people can repeat his name as often as they want to, I don't see him as Bond and quite surely never will.

    Count me in as well @DarthDimi . I actually suggested him as a potential Bond after seeing ATTWN. I thought he looked the part, if a tad youthful looking. Then I checked his acting with more attention and... well, he struck me as bland. Brosnan without the charisma or the coolness.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    Posts: 1,318
    Oh well, still miles ahead of the rest. Shame on EoN for postponing years and years and years. I don't care what anyone says. The best years of Bond are way behind us anyway.

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  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,255
    I have to say, that picture is very convincing.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,264
    Oh well, still miles ahead of the rest. Shame on EoN for postponing years and years and years. I don't care what anyone says. The best years of Bond are way behind us anyway.

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    You're going to places I cannot go. That look may suit a perfume TV commercial, but it takes more than a pretty face to nail Bond in my humble opinion. We can think of hundreds of good-looking men, but I hope we are not reducing our hopes for the next Bond to mere sex-appeal.
  • edited December 2022 Posts: 910
    My problem with Turner, outside of his age considering he's already 40, is that his last really impacting role was seven years ago with And Then There Were None. If Craig resigned after Spectre, I think he would have directly been the strongest contender to win the role, with a profil similar to Lewis Collins in a way. Now, seven years passed and he didn't seem to make much an impression on the big or the small screen. He may be the star of some TV shows, but they don't seem to be much talked about.
  • Posts: 6,710
    We've been talking about him over and over, and the thing is, he looks like what Bond should look like and acts vaguely well. But the truth is, discussing his future casting is a moot conversation, because they are not going to hire a 40 year old. In the old days, he'd be ripe. But now, with production on these mammoths taking so long, they will, for sure, hire a younger actor, with some sort of recognition factor and acting background.

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson, for example, is 32, he has done theatre (Macbeth), studied drama, tap, jazz, acrobatics, and singing, been in Marvel flicks, as well as indies, and a Nolan film, no less. He has won 4 awards and was nominated for 15. He has a good relationship with his costars and everyone has good things to say about him, apparently.

    I could now write about Nicholas Hoult, who is also 32, has also won awards, was nominated for a BAFTA and an Emmy, and is well known.

    I'd also be on board with Jack O'Connell, also 32 (what is it with all these 32 year old?), for his presence and acting abilities. He's won 11 awards and was nominated for 21. And he's on good terms with the producers.

    Theo James is 37, he has a good voice and presence and I believe he can act, moderately.

    All of these are more likely than Turner. But these 5 are the best candidates for me. Solid choices. I'd throw in Richard Madden, who's 36. I know him and Connell are a bit short, and Connell wins on his acting chops alone, but they are solid contenders as well, IMO.

    So, for me, I'd say ATJ, NH, JOC, TJ and RM are the ones we know of that could very well play the character to my own personal liking, and with the respect the intelectual source material deserves.

    Right now, I'm rooting for Aaron Taylor-Johnson. I really liked him in Bullitt Train, albeit a poor, but fun film. Just have him lower his voice a notch. Or two.
  • 00Heaven00Heaven Home
    Posts: 575
    Boss post that @Univex
  • edited December 2022 Posts: 181
    It's funny, people don't want Bond to be too young, because he should be manly and experienced and not boyish at all. But they also don't want him too geriatric, since he's supposed to be jumping from planes and getting women. An ageing Bond can be interesting for one film, but nobody wants that for multiple films. And Craig was an ageing Bond starting in his third film (which may answer the person's question as to why people started looking for a new Bond half way through Craig's tenure). People don't want a boy or an old man.

    I think what people want, which is a certain actor to do numerous films, but also for the actor to never be too young or too old for the role, is just not feasible at all if they are only going to be making films every 5 years. The actor starting out at age 35 versus 40 is not going to make much of a difference. It's just basic math. They'll have to either start making films much more regularly or just have an actor for about 3 films. Though it could also help to get an actor who seems like he will age well.

    The one good thing about most of these current actors who are much more boyish and less rugged is that they should at least age well. Look at Connery, Moore, and Craig. Their ruggedness was perfect at the beginning, but they looked too old just 10 years after their first movies. And Dalton was also looking much older and going bald in 1997 (if he had stayed on).

    Say what you want about Aidan Turner, but do you guys really think he's going to look like a frumpy grandpa when he's in his 50s? Of course not. I think he'll probably look even better at age 50 then he does at 40. I'm not saying Turner is perfect for the role, but him and a lot of these more youthful looking actors we have now are not going to look anywhere close to as old as Moore did in the 80s. At least I can't see it. People just look younger these days.

    I think we might be taking the age requirement thing too seriously. The poster right before me actually said that Turner at 39 was too old, but 37 year old Theo James would be fine... Also, was it ever confirmed that they are only looking at actors who will be in their 30s? I know there was an article, but I thought it was to be taken with a grain of salt.

    Edit: Also, would it really be that bad of a thing if the next actor only did 3 films? What's wrong with a trilogy? Most superhero actors don't do more than 3 movies it seems. We could have an actor do films around age 40, 45, and 50. And just skip films where he's just starting out or at the very end of his career. Make all 3 prime-career Bond.
  • JeremyBondonJeremyBondon Seeking out odd jobs with Oddjob @Tangier
    edited December 2022 Posts: 1,318
    It's funny, people don't want Bond to be too young, because he should be manly and experienced and not boyish at all. But they also don't want him too geriatric, since he's supposed to be jumping from planes and getting women. An ageing Bond can be interesting for one film, but nobody wants that for multiple films. And Craig was an ageing Bond starting in his third film (which may answer the person's question as to why people started looking for a new Bond half way through Craig's tenure). People don't want a boy or an old man.

    I think what people want, which is a certain actor to do numerous films, but also for the actor to never be too young or too old for the role, is just not feasible at all if they are only going to be making films every 5 years. The actor starting out at age 35 versus 40 is not going to make much of a difference. It's just basic math. They'll have to either start making films much more regularly or just have an actor for about 3 films. Though it could also help to get an actor who seems like he will age well.

    The one good thing about most of these current actors who are much more boyish and less rugged is that they should at least age well. Look at Connery, Moore, and Craig. Their ruggedness was perfect at the beginning, but they looked too old just 10 years after their first movies. And Dalton was also looking much older and going bald in 1997 (if he had stayed on).

    Say what you want about Aidan Turner, but do you guys really think he's going to look like a frumpy grandpa when he's in his 50s? Of course not. I think he'll probably look even better at age 50 then he does at 40. I'm not saying Turner is perfect for the role, but him and a lot of these more youthful looking actors we have now are not going to look anywhere close to as old as Moore did in the 80s. At least I can't see it.

    I think we might be taking the age requirement thing too seriously. The poster right before me actually said that Turner at 39 was too old, but 37 year old Theo James would be fine... Also, was it ever confirmed that they are only looking at actors who will be in their 30s? I know there was an article, but I thought it was to be taken with a grain of salt.

    Edit: Also, would it really be that bad of a thing if the next actor only did 3 films? What's wrong with a trilogy? Most superhero actors don't do more than 3 movies it seems. We could have an actor do films around age 40, 45, and 50. And just skip films where he's just starting out or at the very end of his career. Make all 3 prime-career Bond.

    A very good post with solid points throughout. Cannot agree more actually. This time I'm not in agreement with @Univex but hey, time does pass and things change.

    A trilogy would be great, fitting for Turner. Funny thing is, Sope Dirisu a lot of members are fawning over looks very old to me yet he's around 30. Age is subjective, both looks wise as well as physically. It's daft in this day and age, look at Pitt in Bullet Train, nearly 60, looking great and standing his own beating up guys 25 years younger. Tom Cruise anyone?

    Stop the ageism.
  • Posts: 6,710
    You got me wrong, @JeremyBondon, my friend. My post was intended to be a logic one, not a wishful one. If I had my wish, it would be Turner playing Bond, for sure. But logic dictates they are looking for a younger actor for their reinvention. Am I in agreement with them? No, not at all. I'd have Cillian Murphy for a trilogy. Or our man Turner. But the times they are a changing. What can we do but hope for the best? And those options I've listed, are, IMO, the best we can hope for.
  • edited December 2022 Posts: 4,310
    I do think most of these 'strict' requirements such as height and age always have a bit of leeway dependent on the candidate. I'm sure if an actor aged 40 or a bit older auditioned this time round and was exactly what they were looking for they'd go with them. And why not? That'd still realistically give this actor 10 years as Bond, perhaps a bit more. That's three or four films potentially. Even if the next Bond were in their early 30s they'd likely only play the role for this long anyway.

    So no, I don't think Turner's age rules him out at all. Still, I doubt he'll even get an audition. He's already said rather openly he doesn't want the role, and I think there are more interesting candidates anyway.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    007HallY wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Here's a what-if: What if the Aaron Taylor-Johnson story is an intentional story plant by the studio to test the waters of casting him, before they ever sign any deal? Could you blame them for wondering how he'd go over?

    I do feel like Turner and some others are worthy of a screen test. Apparently ATJ can work a room, but who works on screen?

    I'm not sure if even EON go to those lengths to test the waters. It really wouldn't tell them anything anyway because it doesn't matter what the public thinks about the actor before they appear/are seen onscreen. The real test is how they are received when the film comes out.

    Exactly. EoN have always marched to the beat of their own drum. Had they listened to the public and media previously, Craig would have "dropped out" prior to the cameras rolling for CR.
  • Posts: 15,234
    doubleoego wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Here's a what-if: What if the Aaron Taylor-Johnson story is an intentional story plant by the studio to test the waters of casting him, before they ever sign any deal? Could you blame them for wondering how he'd go over?

    I do feel like Turner and some others are worthy of a screen test. Apparently ATJ can work a room, but who works on screen?

    I'm not sure if even EON go to those lengths to test the waters. It really wouldn't tell them anything anyway because it doesn't matter what the public thinks about the actor before they appear/are seen onscreen. The real test is how they are received when the film comes out.

    Exactly. EoN have always marched to the beat of their own drum. Had they listened to the public and media previously, Craig would have "dropped out" prior to the cameras rolling for CR.

    And Jude Law would have been cast as Bond. Or Robbie Williams.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    talos7 wrote: »
    As with several of the other “ candidates “, Doherty would benefit from a bit of quality weight and a bit of weathering.

    Maybe, but I’d say he has a much better frame for said weathering than some other candidates, and some photos posted previously show that he’s more than built enough.

    If I recall he was pretty rugged and in great shape in TENET.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,255
    doubleoego wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    As with several of the other “ candidates “, Doherty would benefit from a bit of quality weight and a bit of weathering.

    Maybe, but I’d say he has a much better frame for said weathering than some other candidates, and some photos posted previously show that he’s more than built enough.

    If I recall he was pretty rugged and in great shape in TENET.

    Thomas Doherty?
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Ludovico wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    007HallY wrote: »
    LucknFate wrote: »
    Here's a what-if: What if the Aaron Taylor-Johnson story is an intentional story plant by the studio to test the waters of casting him, before they ever sign any deal? Could you blame them for wondering how he'd go over?

    I do feel like Turner and some others are worthy of a screen test. Apparently ATJ can work a room, but who works on screen?

    I'm not sure if even EON go to those lengths to test the waters. It really wouldn't tell them anything anyway because it doesn't matter what the public thinks about the actor before they appear/are seen onscreen. The real test is how they are received when the film comes out.

    Exactly. EoN have always marched to the beat of their own drum. Had they listened to the public and media previously, Craig would have "dropped out" prior to the cameras rolling for CR.

    And Jude Law would have been cast as Bond. Or Robbie Williams.

    Lol exactly.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    talos7 wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    talos7 wrote: »
    As with several of the other “ candidates “, Doherty would benefit from a bit of quality weight and a bit of weathering.

    Maybe, but I’d say he has a much better frame for said weathering than some other candidates, and some photos posted previously show that he’s more than built enough.

    If I recall he was pretty rugged and in great shape in TENET.

    Thomas Doherty?

    Sorry, I must have misread the post. I was talking about ATJ.
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    Posts: 3,160
    If the ideal candidate was 40, they wouldn't go with a worse option who was, say, 37, would they? Shot. Foot.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2022 Posts: 16,624
    Craig was really too old for the character as written in CR, but that didn't stop them.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    edited December 2022 Posts: 45,489
    Wrong thread.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,264
    mtm wrote: »
    Craig was really too old for the character as written in CR, but that didn't stop them.

    Was he? I got the impression that he had already had a military career prior to moving on to mi6, so 30-something struck me as appropriate. Or am I wrong?
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