Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • Posts: 1,631
    doubleoego wrote: »
    dalton wrote: »
    I would have to wonder how much of a factor the whole Scottish/Swiss thing is in the grand scheme of things when it comes to the Bond character as written by Fleming.

    It's not much of a factor at all other than to provide historical context to Bond's background. Instead of being any standard through and through English guy; he's half Swiss, half Scottish, born in Germany, grew up in England and Scotland.

    The point I was trying to make, though, is that it didn't even accomplish that until quite late in the literary series, and was only after Connery had proven to be a success that it was added in.

  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    @CommanderRoss, Moore scored much higher internationally than USA domestic as well, particularly with LALD, TSWLM & some of his later efforts.

    I just don't see a black actor being consistently sellable right now globally. One day, maybe.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    edited June 2016 Posts: 11,139
    dalton wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    dalton wrote: »
    I would have to wonder how much of a factor the whole Scottish/Swiss thing is in the grand scheme of things when it comes to the Bond character as written by Fleming.

    It's not much of a factor at all other than to provide historical context to Bond's background. Instead of being any standard through and through English guy; he's half Swiss, half Scottish, born in Germany, grew up in England and Scotland.

    The point I was trying to make, though, is that it didn't even accomplish that until quite late in the literary series, and was only after Connery had proven to be a success that it was added in.

    Well there you go. It clearly wasn't much of a factor if at all.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2016 Posts: 23,883
    Has there been an example of a race change to a character that has worked successfully and consistently? Denzel as the Equalizer perhaps, but then that's Denzel who can do anything (including Bond imho). Anyone else?
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.
    That's true. I just can't think of any other examples, the F4 debacle notwithstanding.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    bondjames wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.
    That's true. I just can't think of any other examples, the F4 debacle notwithstanding.
    Nick Fury. They always would prefer Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal over David Hasselhoff's. :))
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.

  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited June 2016 Posts: 15,423
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.
    Robert McCall in the original series was a former MI-6 agent patched through CIA via Control (real name never mentioned). This new McCall was a Black Ops operative with marines background or sorts. Their activities were not the same, if I recall correctly. However, his advert in the end of the film was a great nod to the TV Series. :D

    Person of Interest in its first two seasons until the Root arc took over (not a fan of her at all) was Batman meets The Equalizer. I did love that.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    bondjames wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.
    That's true. I just can't think of any other examples, the F4 debacle notwithstanding.
    Nick Fury. They always would prefer Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal over David Hasselhoff's. :))
    While I'd never want to diss The Hoff, I'm afraid I prefer Jackson as Fury as well.

    If Quentin ever got Bond I could see him casting Jackson as a spoof Bond. What a hoot that would be.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited June 2016 Posts: 15,423
    bondjames wrote: »
    bondjames wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.
    That's true. I just can't think of any other examples, the F4 debacle notwithstanding.
    Nick Fury. They always would prefer Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal over David Hasselhoff's. :))
    While I'd never want to diss The Hoff, I'm afraid I prefer Jackson as Fury as well.
    Samuel L. Jackson is a badass Fury. But, as it's told in the canonical comics (created after Ultimate's Nick Fury, which was African-American), that Fury's legal name is Marcus Johnson, a.k.a. Nick Fury, Jr. who's the illegitimate son of the original Nick Fury. Jackson is a brilliant Junior. I'd cast Josh Brolin in the role of the original Fury, though.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited June 2016 Posts: 4,116
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.
    Robert McCall in the original series was a former MI-6 agent patched through CIA via Control (real name never mentioned). This new McCall was a Black Ops operative with marines background or sorts. Their activities were not the same, if I recall correctly. However, his advert in the end of the film was a great nod to the TV Series. :D

    Person of Interest in its first two seasons until the Root arc took over (not a fan of her at all) was Batman meets The Equalizer. I did love that.

    I remember now ...I couldn't remember that much about the original.

    The point being both covert specialized backgrounds.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.
    Robert McCall in the original series was a former MI-6 agent patched through CIA via Control (real name never mentioned). This new McCall was a Black Ops operative with marines background or sorts. Their activities were not the same, if I recall correctly. However, his advert in the end of the film was a great nod to the TV Series. :D

    Person of Interest in its first two seasons until the Root arc took over (not a fan of her at all) was Batman meets The Equalizer. I did love that.

    I remember now ...I couldn't remember that much about the original.

    The point being both covert specialized backgrounds.
    Kind of, yes. But, McCall went straight to private investigator/problem eliminator business after he quit the spy job. And he always wore fancy suits. The film McCall was just an everyday average joe who laid low and spent his years trying to adapt to civilian life, working in markets, meat factories, etc.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.
    Robert McCall in the original series was a former MI-6 agent patched through CIA via Control (real name never mentioned). This new McCall was a Black Ops operative with marines background or sorts. Their activities were not the same, if I recall correctly. However, his advert in the end of the film was a great nod to the TV Series. :D

    Person of Interest in its first two seasons until the Root arc took over (not a fan of her at all) was Batman meets The Equalizer. I did love that.

    I remember now ...I couldn't remember that much about the original.

    The point being both covert specialized backgrounds.
    Kind of, yes. But, McCall went straight to private investigator/problem eliminator business after he quit the spy job. And he always wore fancy suits. The film McCall was just an everyday average joe who laid low and spent his years trying to adapt to civilian life, working in markets, meat factories, etc.
    Not to mention driving a fancy Jag (my favourite bit of the whole show).
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    bondjames wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.
    Robert McCall in the original series was a former MI-6 agent patched through CIA via Control (real name never mentioned). This new McCall was a Black Ops operative with marines background or sorts. Their activities were not the same, if I recall correctly. However, his advert in the end of the film was a great nod to the TV Series. :D

    Person of Interest in its first two seasons until the Root arc took over (not a fan of her at all) was Batman meets The Equalizer. I did love that.

    I remember now ...I couldn't remember that much about the original.

    The point being both covert specialized backgrounds.
    Kind of, yes. But, McCall went straight to private investigator/problem eliminator business after he quit the spy job. And he always wore fancy suits. The film McCall was just an everyday average joe who laid low and spent his years trying to adapt to civilian life, working in markets, meat factories, etc.
    Not to mention driving a fancy Jag (my favourite bit of the whole show).
    Oh definitely! Although, if I remember correctly, the Jags were updated with newer models every season.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited June 2016 Posts: 4,116
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    Well, after 30 years of its absence, the people of today would hardly know about The Equalizer. Apart from the name of the protagonist "Robert McCall", the character was awfully different it could've been someone else.

    The character was changed even though similar background. I guess if Robert McCall was an American guy living in New York under the radar trying to help those in peril then Washington nails it (and he does). If the Robert McCall is a British guy living in New York under the radar then go for the original.

    Then you have Person of Interest ...and oh yeah that old school Nottingham guy.
    Robert McCall in the original series was a former MI-6 agent patched through CIA via Control (real name never mentioned). This new McCall was a Black Ops operative with marines background or sorts. Their activities were not the same, if I recall correctly. However, his advert in the end of the film was a great nod to the TV Series. :D

    Person of Interest in its first two seasons until the Root arc took over (not a fan of her at all) was Batman meets The Equalizer. I did love that.

    I remember now ...I couldn't remember that much about the original.

    The point being both covert specialized backgrounds.
    Kind of, yes. But, McCall went straight to private investigator/problem eliminator business after he quit the spy job. And he always wore fancy suits. The film McCall was just an everyday average joe who laid low and spent his years trying to adapt to civilian life, working in markets, meat factories, etc.

    That's true too. Very different cv's.

    Yes love the jags... :)
  • SzonanaSzonana Mexico
    edited June 2016 Posts: 1,130
    Im quite acceping the idea of Idris Elba as Bond if it ever happened and no I wasn't brian washed or anything like that i just thought from the Craig like suggestions he is one of the best picks.

    He definitely seems to have the screen prescence and physicality to play Bond and well need to see more of his acting but seems like he also has the sex appeall in a similar way to Daniel Craig.

    He is basically Craig 2.0 but with a darker skin color and i think the audience is divided almost in two equal halfs 50% the ones who want to go back to the classic good obvious looks Like Brosnan and the other 50% wants to keep in line with what Daniel settled for Bond.

    So like I think Cavil is the best in the Brosnan style, Idris Elba seems to be the best choice in the Craig type. I guess id prefer elba over Tom Hardy.

    Now the best of both worlds is Charlie Hunnam who has Brosnan's very handsome face but Craig's Body and though attitude.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Murdock wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Yep! Just as Clive Owen and Hugh Jackman were the "only" candidates back then, until Daniel Craig came aboard out of nowhere. ;)

    There's a difference between what the general public thinks would make a good Bond candidate and what people in the known thinks. The general public often has a rather shallow view on casting.

    Ah yes without a doubt. Hence, Idris Elba for no other reason than that he's played a cool detective and he's black (so PC casting).
    doubleoego wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Yep! Just as Clive Owen and Hugh Jackman were the "only" candidates back then, until Daniel Craig came aboard out of nowhere. ;)

    There's a difference between what the general public thinks would make a good Bond candidate and what people in the known thinks. The general public often has a rather shallow view on casting.

    Ah yes without a doubt. Hence, Idris Elba for no other reason than that he's played a cool detective and he's black (so PC casting). Which ironically is a 'shallow' suggestion!

    He also happens to be an excellent actor. Irrespective of his skin colour and age he has more than enough acting talent to pull the role off.

    Yes he is a good actor.But he can't pull the role of a white (WASP) character off can he? So he is a pointless suggestion.

    I was correcting you and righyfully so. You said Elba was being mentioned only because of Luther and the fact that he's black. I stated, well, you can obviously read what I wrote; that those were not the only 2 reasons why.
    As for being a pointless suggestion, given his age yes, it kind of is but you're making this and have been doing so about skin colour which as far as being a pointless suggestion is debatable.
    doubleoego wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Yep! Just as Clive Owen and Hugh Jackman were the "only" candidates back then, until Daniel Craig came aboard out of nowhere. ;)

    There's a difference between what the general public thinks would make a good Bond candidate and what people in the known thinks. The general public often has a rather shallow view on casting.

    Ah yes without a doubt. Hence, Idris Elba for no other reason than that he's played a cool detective and he's black (so PC casting).
    doubleoego wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Yep! Just as Clive Owen and Hugh Jackman were the "only" candidates back then, until Daniel Craig came aboard out of nowhere. ;)

    There's a difference between what the general public thinks would make a good Bond candidate and what people in the known thinks. The general public often has a rather shallow view on casting.

    Ah yes without a doubt. Hence, Idris Elba for no other reason than that he's played a cool detective and he's black (so PC casting). Which ironically is a 'shallow' suggestion!

    He also happens to be an excellent actor. Irrespective of his skin colour and age he has more than enough acting talent to pull the role off.

    Yes he is a good actor.But he can't pull the role of a white (WASP) character off can he? So he is a pointless suggestion.

    I was correcting you and righyfully so. You said Elba was being mentioned only because of Luther and the fact that he's black. I stated, well, you can obviously read what I wrote; that those were not the only 2 reasons why.
    As for being a pointless suggestion, given his age yes, it kind of is but you're making this and have been doing so about skin colour which as far as being a pointless suggestion is debatable.
    suavejmf wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Yep! Just as Clive Owen and Hugh Jackman were the "only" candidates back then, until Daniel Craig came aboard out of nowhere. ;)

    There's a difference between what the general public thinks would make a good Bond candidate and what people in the known thinks. The general public often has a rather shallow view on casting.

    Ah yes without a doubt. Hence, Idris Elba for no other reason than that he's played a cool detective and he's black (so PC casting).
    doubleoego wrote: »
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Yep! Just as Clive Owen and Hugh Jackman were the "only" candidates back then, until Daniel Craig came aboard out of nowhere. ;)

    There's a difference between what the general public thinks would make a good Bond candidate and what people in the known thinks. The general public often has a rather shallow view on casting.

    Ah yes without a doubt. Hence, Idris Elba for no other reason than that he's played a cool detective and he's black (so PC casting). Which ironically is a 'shallow' suggestion!

    He also happens to be an excellent actor. Irrespective of his skin colour and age he has more than enough acting talent to pull the role off.

    Yes he is a good actor.But he can't pull the role of a white (WASP) character off can he? So he is a pointless suggestion.

    I was correcting you and righyfully so. You said Elba was being mentioned only because of Luther and the fact that he's black. I stated, well, you can obviously read what I wrote; that those were not the only 2 reasons why.
    As for being a pointless suggestion, given his age yes, it kind of is but you're making this and have been doing so about skin colour which as far as being a pointless suggestion is debatable. Read the title of the thread. Who should/could be a Bond actor? If Elba was younger he definitely could. Any attractive capable actor of any colour could be Bond. Now, SHOULD they be Bond is another matter entirely.

    I've read the title of the thread...... He couldn't / shouldn't be a Bond actor because....Bond is a white character. Hence, pointless suggestion.

    Rubbish. You may have read the title of of the thread but you sure as hell dont comprehend it. Bond being a white character doesn't mean anything other than clinging on to what people are used to. James Bond doesn't have to be played by a white man because his skin colour doesn't define who he is. So no, it's not pointless. King Henry VI, a real life person was a white man and was played brilliantly and recieved critical acclaim by David Oyelowo.

    Bond is Scottish and Swiss and white. It defines the character. Shaft is black. Can Craig play Shaft. Or and Asian guy play Bond?

    Learn the character.

    Post of the day right here! :-bd
    Great post
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 2,917
    dalton wrote: »
    At some point during the process of casting Bond, he was very keen on the idea of David Niven portraying Bond.

    Fleming's first recorded choice for Bond was Richard Burton, a Welshman. He later mentioned David Niven as a possible contender, but this has been blown out of proportion.
    Before Connery, the books always referred to Bond as being an Englishman. In making Bond part-Scottish, Fleming was not only acknowledging Connery, but also his own Scottish heritage and his penchant for giving characters mixed nationalities (Bond is half Scottish, half-Swiss).
    What does this mean for future Bond candidates? Little, beyond that the actor playing Bond. one of Britain's greatest patriots, should himself be from Britain, or at least the commonwealth. The actor should not have to strain to produce a British accent.
  • Posts: 1,631
    Revelator wrote: »
    dalton wrote: »
    At some point during the process of casting Bond, he was very keen on the idea of David Niven portraying Bond.

    Fleming's first recorded choice for Bond was Richard Burton, a Welshman. He later mentioned David Niven as a possible contender, but this has been blown out of proportion.
    Before Connery, the books always referred to Bond as being an Englishman. In making Bond part-Scottish, Fleming was not only acknowledging Connery, but also his own Scottish heritage and his penchant for giving characters mixed nationalities (Bond is half Scottish, half-Swiss).
    What does this mean for future Bond candidates? Little, beyond that the actor playing Bond. one of Britain's greatest patriots, should himself be from Britain, or at least the commonwealth. The actor should not have to strain to produce a British accent.

    The point that I was trying to make, I think, came across somewhat muted because I was trying to wade into the Elba debate without actually getting into the debate. Regardless of where one stands on that issue, I can't help but feel it's a bit disingenuous to say that Bond can't be played by a certain actor because Bond is half Scottish and half Swiss, when that was a very minor part of the character's traits, seeing as how it was only added in at the very tail end of the literary series and as a reaction to Sean Connery's success. That's really the only point I was trying to make.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,715
    Sorry for the off-topic, but @bondjames are you aware that there is an 'Equalizer 2' with Denzel coming in September 2017?
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    @DaltonCraig007, I didn't know that, and if you can believe it, I've actually not seen the first one yet. Sacrilegious I know. I was out of town when it had its theatre run, and then never got round to buying it since I've not been able to find a deal yet. I've heard good things, and have to get it soon.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,715
    @bondjames you need to see it, Denzel has been one serious badass in his recent films (Equalizer, 2 Guns, Safe House, and seems to be doing more of the same in Magnificent Seven).
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited June 2016 Posts: 23,883
    I love 2 Guns @DaltonCraig007. He's brilliant in that, as is Marky Mark. I really enjoyed him in Safe House too, but Reynolds ruined it for me. Have you seen Flight? He's excellent in that too - great film.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,715
    @bondjames yes, Flight is excellent, and the pairing of Denzel and John Goodman is fantastic. Also, in defense of Reynolds in Safe House, that final fight in the kitchen between him and Liam Neeson's son from 'Run All Night' (sorry, don't know the guy's name) is brutally intense and one of my favorite fights in recent years.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I agree on that fight @DaltonCraig007 - it was viscious. The car chase was pretty good too. I wish Denzel's character Tobin Frost had escaped at the end though, and I didn't like how Vera Farmiga's character ended up (I've had a huge crush on her since 15 Minutes). If you haven't seen Running Scared, I highly recommend it. There's one scene where she totally owns it.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,715
    Oooh man, Running Scared with Paul Walker, right? I've been aching to give it a go for a while.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Yep, that's it. I'm sure you'll love it. It's intense.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,967
    @DaltonCraig007, that's Joel Kinnaman, a very good actor. You should check out a show starring him called 'The Killing.' It's terrific.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    I agree @Creasy47. The US version of The Killing is a great show, especially Seasons 1 & 2. He was the new Robocop too.
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