Who should/could be a Bond actor?

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  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    I just revisited Braveheart, and I think Mel Gibson's Scottish accent wasn't that bad, even if it's not impeccable....at least he gave it a go. What surprised me was how Director Kevin Reynolds allowed Kevin Costner play Robinhood with an American accent, even if Costner is a great actor.

    I think British actors are very convincing as Americans, Coz in Tombraider(2001) Daniel Craig was so believable as an American. Lots of Non-British actors look like Bond and could Screentest for Bond 26, but doing the Convincing British accent has always been their shortcoming....Although, Robert Downey Jr's English accent as Sherlock Holmes was good....Not saying Downey looks like Bond though.
  • edited July 2020 Posts: 181
    That list is bizarre. No Robert Pattinson? No Jamie Dornan?

    I also think Harris Dickinson should be on that list. He's 24 and already worked with directors like Xavier Dolan, Danny Boyle, Joanna Hogg and Mathew Vaughn. Once the Kingsman film comes out, he'll be everyone's list. This guy is really attractive. I'll admit to not having seen anything he is in.

    I decided to have an age criteria for the list, which was 26-37 as far as current age, so I could filter out the candidates too young or too old. Dornan is 38 (though I guess I could increase it to 26-38), and I think Dickinson seems way too young for Bond right now at 24. I do agree he could be a perfect candidate in 8+ years if we have a gap that long. Jonah Hauer-King is another young actor (25) that I think could age into the role if there is a long gap (if playing the prince in the Little Mermaid movie doesn't kill his chances first).

    Also, I wasn't presenting it as an inclusive list. Those are just the names I could think of, hence why I asked people for names I forgot. I didn't think about Pattinson, but that's because I and everyone else assumes he wouldn't get Bond because of his current engagement as Batman.

    Also, I'm adding a couple names I just remembered to the list: Tom Mison, Matthew Lewis, and Denbigh's suggestion of Matt Stokoe.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    Any list in this thread that doesn't include Dornan is a good list by me. ;)
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,136
    No Turner or a few other fan favourites on this list.

    https://in.style.yahoo.com/amphtml/actors-next-james-bond-064506479.html

    Doesn’t mean much obviously.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    edited July 2020 Posts: 8,208
    Benny wrote: »
    No Turner or a few other fan favourites on this list.

    https://in.style.yahoo.com/amphtml/actors-next-james-bond-064506479.html

    Doesn’t mean much obviously.

    Just glancing at the photos, Hoult stands out, and not just because he’s in a tux; he is quickly becoming my front runner and he will only improve with age.
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 8,208
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  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    Yeah he seems to have been looking more the part in recent photos.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    GadgetMan wrote: »
    I just revisited Braveheart, and I think Mel Gibson's Scottish accent wasn't that bad, even if it's not impeccable....at least he gave it a go. What surprised me was how Director Kevin Reynolds allowed Kevin Costner play Robinhood with an American accent, even if Costner is a great actor.

    Who knows what kind of accent Robin Hood had anyway? The language has evolved quite a bit since then.
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    GadgetMan wrote: »
    I just revisited Braveheart, and I think Mel Gibson's Scottish accent wasn't that bad, even if it's not impeccable....at least he gave it a go. What surprised me was how Director Kevin Reynolds allowed Kevin Costner play Robinhood with an American accent, even if Costner is a great actor.

    Who knows what kind of accent Robin Hood had anyway? The language has evolved quite a bit since then.

    Yeah, Definitely not American Lol. I don't know...You knows?....Maybe he spoke a bit of Gaelic as well.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    Posts: 5,970
    Benny wrote: »
    No Turner or a few other fan favourites on this list.

    https://in.style.yahoo.com/amphtml/actors-next-james-bond-064506479.html

    Doesn’t mean much obviously.
    Aaron-Taylor is probably my favourite on the list. Although these lists are always the same anyway.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 2020 Posts: 16,385
    GadgetMan wrote: »
    I just revisited Braveheart, and I think Mel Gibson's Scottish accent wasn't that bad, even if it's not impeccable....at least he gave it a go. What surprised me was how Director Kevin Reynolds allowed Kevin Costner play Robinhood with an American accent, even if Costner is a great actor.

    I think British actors are very convincing as Americans, Coz in Tombraider(2001) Daniel Craig was so believable as an American. Lots of Non-British actors look like Bond and could Screentest for Bond 26, but doing the Convincing British accent has always been their shortcoming....Although, Robert Downey Jr's English accent as Sherlock Holmes was good....Not saying Downey looks like Bond though.

    I must say it didn't upset me: I'm not even sure I actually noticed Costner's Robin being American when I went to see Prince of Thieves- it was basically a fantasy film so it didn't matter. It's kind of similar to the random distribution of accents in Star Wars films. Something like Connery not being American or Irish in The Untouchables seems more egregious to me, but it still doesn't affect my enjoyment of it at all! Costner and Connery were the big stars in those and that's just what they sounded like, you just accept it.
    Downey Jr's accent I found occasionally distractingly odd, so I don't think I would even have minded if he'd played Holmes with an American or maybe mid-Atlantic accent: again it was basically a fantasy film so I don't think it would have been a massive issue for me. But I guess he wanted to differentiate his performance from Iron Man a bit.

    In terms of Americans as Brits, what are the general thoughts of people like Tom Holland or Cumberbatch in the Marvel films? Are they seen as convincing in the U.S?
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    mtm wrote: »
    GadgetMan wrote: »
    I just revisited Braveheart, and I think Mel Gibson's Scottish accent wasn't that bad, even if it's not impeccable....at least he gave it a go. What surprised me was how Director Kevin Reynolds allowed Kevin Costner play Robinhood with an American accent, even if Costner is a great actor.

    I think British actors are very convincing as Americans, Coz in Tombraider(2001) Daniel Craig was so believable as an American. Lots of Non-British actors look like Bond and could Screentest for Bond 26, but doing the Convincing British accent has always been their shortcoming....Although, Robert Downey Jr's English accent as Sherlock Holmes was good....Not saying Downey looks like Bond though.

    I must say it didn't upset me: I'm not even sure I actually noticed Costner's Robin being American when I went to see Prince of Thieves- it was basically a fantasy film so it didn't matter. It's kind of similar to the random distribution of accents in Star Wars films. Something like Connery not being American or Irish in The Untouchables seems more egregious to me, but it still doesn't affect my enjoyment of it at all! Costner and Connery were the big stars in those and that's just what they sounded like, you just accept it.
    Downey Jr's accent I found occasionally distractingly odd, so I don't think I would even have minded if he'd played Holmes with an American or maybe mid-Atlantic accent: again it was basically a fantasy film so I don't think it would have been a massive issue for me. But I guess he wanted to differentiate his performance from Iron Man a bit.

    In terms of Americans as Brits, what are the general thoughts of people like Tom Holland or Cumberbatch in the Marvel films? Are they seen as convincing in the U.S?

    Yeah, I didn't mind the accent too, coz I was consumed by the brilliant fantasy film. But in retrospect, I was just baffled that Costner didn't attempt or Reynolds didn't make him attempt it, compared to how Morgan Freeman attempted the Arab accent to a certain degree of success. And I think compared to other Americans who try a British accent, Downey is better. Yeah, and I find Holland and Cumberbatch believable as Americans in the Marvel films.
  • Posts: 15,117
    Kevin Costner as Robin Hood was terrible. His accent as well as his portrayal. The whole film was a mess in fact. Robert Downey Jr as Holmes was not much better. Seriously, I find Americans playing Brits as offensive and stupid as whitewashing. You could call it Americanwashing.
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Kevin Costner as Robin Hood was terrible. His accent as well as his portrayal. The whole film was a mess in fact. Robert Downey Jr as Holmes was not much better. Seriously, I find Americans playing Brits as offensive and stupid as whitewashing. You could call it Americanwashing.

    I agree as much as i like Downey, i don't find his portray much interesting.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    I preferred Downey Jnr. to Cumberbatch's portrayal. It wasn't Conan Doyle in any sense but the second film especially was very well made and very enjoyable.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    Taking each in their entirety, I'd have to go with BBC's Sherlock over Downey's Sherlock Holmes films, personally. A lot of it has to do with Martin Freeman, honestly.
    I prefer Cumberbatch's portrayal, but Downey is also a lot of fun to watch.
    Scott and Harris also both gave great performances, but Scott's was a little more unique and memorable IMO.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    The first couple of seasons of the BBC series are top quality television, but it dropped sharply after that.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    The first couple of seasons of the BBC series are top quality television, but it dropped sharply after that.

    I actually agree. Seasons 1 and 2 were amazing and it didn't keep up the quality.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,385
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Kevin Costner as Robin Hood was terrible. His accent as well as his portrayal. The whole film was a mess in fact. Robert Downey Jr as Holmes was not much better. Seriously, I find Americans playing Brits as offensive and stupid as whitewashing. You could call it Americanwashing.

    I can't imagine having a reaction as strong as being offended by it. I find them perfectly entertaining films; I'm not familiar with any general reaction to Prince of Thieves as being regarded as a mess either. It's glossy and silly but it works.
    Taking each in their entirety, I'd have to go with BBC's Sherlock over Downey's Sherlock Holmes films, personally. A lot of it has to do with Martin Freeman, honestly.
    I prefer Cumberbatch's portrayal, but Downey is also a lot of fun to watch.
    Scott and Harris also both gave great performances, but Scott's was a little more unique and memorable IMO.

    Yeah I like that we had two very different versions of Sherlock going on at the same time: I didn't even really see them as competing- they were doing different things with it and I enjoyed both.
    Personally I'd pick Harris' Moriarty though: he was actually being scary and chilling- I found Scott's a bit of a copy of other Joker-style screen villains. John Simm had recently done something similar in Dr Who and did it a lot better I tend to think.

    I wonder if Harris would do a Bond villain, in fact..?
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited July 2020 Posts: 7,547
    @mtm That would be great. Love Jared Harris in everything he's in. And I see your point about his Moriarty, and Scott's, but the heart likes what the heart likes. :P

    It was a good time for Sherlock Holmes, indeed.
  • Posts: 16,163
    I still maintain the firm belief if audiences embraced Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes, then they would certainly love him as Bond.

  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    Yeah, Harris was so believable as Moriarty....He could easily nail the Sinister Bond Villain. And yeah, I also really enjoyed Alan Rickman's Sheriff of Nottingham and Michael Wincott's Guy of Gisborne. Wincott who usually plays Villians....Possible because of his very distinctive deep and rough voice. Very Silly and funny, but yet Nefarious set of Villains, Rickman and Wincott were in Robinhood LOL.

    And usually, The Robinhood folklore is usually depicted on screen with a lighter touch. I think the Darkest portrayal so far is Russell Crowe's Version, maybe because Ridley Scott was director. But then again Crowe was accused of sounding Irish and Scottish at the same time....Not easy attempting an accent though. But I like Russell's Crowe Version and performance still....He really had great chemistry with Cate Blanchett.
  • weboffearweboffear Scotland
    Posts: 52
    i don't get the Calum Turner love going on in this thread , he's an Andy Murray lookalike , Henry Cavill or Aidan Turner for me
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 2020 Posts: 16,385
    @mtm That would be great. Love Jared Harris in everything he's in. And I see your point about his Moriarty, and Scott's, but the heart likes what the heart likes. :P

    Oh sure, totally: you're hardly alone in liking him! Presumably you're in the same company as the Bond producers too otherwise they wouldn't have put him in Spectre! :)
    I think he's good in Spectre.

    I've just realised that I have, at different points, walked past both M and C from that movie in the same spot on the South Bank in London. Not a hugely bizarre place to see them as it's right outside the National Theatre(!), but I've only just thought of it. Fiennes is a lot shorter than he comes across onscreen.
    It was a good time for Sherlock Holmes, indeed.

    Yeah definitely: it took me a while when I was watching Avengers Infinity War to twig what was nagging me when Tony Stark and Dr Strange were arguing on the spaceship, then I realised it was that it was the two 2010 Sherlocks talking to each other with funny beards on!
    :D
    Plus there was that Lucy Liu US TV show, but I tried a bit of that and it seemed the lesser of the three Sherlocks at that time :)
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 2020 Posts: 16,385
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I still maintain the firm belief if audiences embraced Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes, then they would certainly love him as Bond.

    Oh yeah I'm with you there. Plenty would say he's physically wrong for it, but he's wasn't that wrong, and I tend to think that if you're a really properly good movie star then those sort of details don't matter, and audiences love him. I've never read them, but I bet Tony Stark is taller or whatever in the comics.
    I used to rebel at the thought of Burt Reynolds being Bond in the early 70s, but of course he'd have been good as it: he was a great movie presence (even though I'm sure he would have worn high heels all the way through!). Am I glad we got Roger instead? Definitely, I much prefer him, but those Bond films with Reynolds would have been hits too, I'm sure.

    I think if you took a line through Sean Connery's career you'd find an awful lot of roles that he was technically miscast in (wrong nationality, physicality etc.) and yet I suspect pretty much every one of those was enhanced by him being in it.
    For example, William of Baskerville in Name of the Rose should have been very thin with a beaky nose and covered in freckles, not to mention English(!) etc. etc.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,216
    Elementary had more of a basic cop precedural feel to it, but I came to really like it as it went on. The stories were always interesting and they did a lot with the gender swapped Watson, which was helped by the fact that she was played by Lucy Liu!
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited July 2020 Posts: 16,385
    Elementary had more of a basic cop precedural feel to it, but I came to really like it as it went on. The stories were always interesting and they did a lot with the gender swapped Watson, which was helped by the fact that she was played by Lucy Liu!

    Yeah I only saw some of the early ones and I did hear that it went to interesting places in later series. Didn't she really have to intervene quite roughly with his addictions or something? And they travelled to London etc. I had no issue with a female Watson at all, seemed an interesting idea and she was good in the ones I saw (better than Miller actually!).

    Apparently the US Network had asked Steven Moffat about making a US version of Sherlock before they realised that Holmes is out of copyright and they could do it without Moffat/Gatiss' blessing, which was a bit rough! But I understand it did turn into its own thing a bit more.

    Of course another good US Holmes adaptation was House, which turned Sherlock into a doctor and had him as a sort of medical detective. That was a nice original version, with a great lead actor, although obviously more of an 'inspired by' than straight adaptation.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,547
    mtm wrote: »
    @mtm That would be great. Love Jared Harris in everything he's in. And I see your point about his Moriarty, and Scott's, but the heart likes what the heart likes. :P

    Oh sure, totally: you're hardly alone in liking him! Presumably you're in the same company as the Bond producers too otherwise they wouldn't have put him in Spectre! :)
    I think he's good in Spectre.

    I've just realised that I have, at different points, walked past both M and C from that movie in the same spot on the South Bank in London. Not a hugely bizarre place to see them as it's right outside the National Theatre(!), but I've only just thought of it. Fiennes is a lot shorter than he comes across onscreen.
    It was a good time for Sherlock Holmes, indeed.

    Yeah definitely: it took me a while when I was watching Avengers Infinity War to twig what was nagging me when Tony Stark and Dr Strange were arguing on the spaceship, then I realised it was that it was the two 2010 Sherlocks talking to each other with funny beards on!
    :D
    Plus there was that Lucy Liu US TV show, but I tried a bit of that and it seemed the lesser of the three Sherlocks at that time :)

    Not only that, but in the MCU, Cumberbatch puts on a bad American accent, and in Sherlock, Downey puts on a bad English accent. :p
  • edited July 2020 Posts: 16,163
    mtm wrote: »
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    I still maintain the firm belief if audiences embraced Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes, then they would certainly love him as Bond.

    Oh yeah I'm with you there. Plenty would say he's physically wrong for it, but he's wasn't that wrong, and I tend to think that if you're a really properly good movie star then those sort of details don't matter, and audiences love him.
    I used to rebel at the thought of Burt Reynolds being Bond in the early 70s, but of course he'd have been good as it: he was a great movie presence (even though I'm sure he would have worn high heels all the way through!). Am I glad we got Roger instead? Definitely, I much prefer him, but those Bond films with Reynolds would have been hits too, I'm sure.

    I think if you took a line through Sean Connery's career you'd find an awful lot of roles that he was technically miscast in (wrong nationality, physicality etc.) and yet I suspect pretty much every one of those was enhanced by him being in it.
    For example, William of Baskerville in Name of the Rose should have been very thin with a beaky nose and covered in freckles, not to mention English(!) etc. etc.



    Studios seem to really push for a big name to lead their films, whether it be a franchise or not. With the right marketing and publicity, nearly any iconic character played by a major star could result in a hit film, regardless of their suitability for the role.

    Redford, Eastwood, Paul Newman, Charles Bronson, and others were all considered for the 1978 SUPERMAN. Luckily Richard Donner fought hard to get Reeve in the role and the gamble paid off. But a Superman film starring Robert Redford in the role probably would have still been a sizable hit at that time.

    That's how I tend to think of Downey Jr as Holmes. Not that he did a bad job, actually I think he was quite excellent. However, he's just not my idea of Holmes.

    Of course, for me Bond is something else. I'd probably be pretty pissed if Downey Jr were cast as Bond. Same with someone like Al Pacino (as much as I love those actors). However that doesn't mean the general public would be as Bond fussy as I am



  • Posts: 17,756
    Elementary had more of a basic cop precedural feel to it, but I came to really like it as it went on. The stories were always interesting and they did a lot with the gender swapped Watson, which was helped by the fact that she was played by Lucy Liu!

    Also worth mentioning that Jonny Lee Miller, who played Sherlock Holmes in Elementary, is Bernard Lee's grandson!
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