James Bond's Director Reveals Why They Will Never Cast A Younger Actor For The Role
Debbie McWilliams, the casting director for James Bond, recently outlined the reasons why a younger actor is unlikely to ever portray 007 on the big screen. In an interview with RadioTimes.com, McWilliams described how numerous actors in their twenties were unable to provide them with the precise Bond they were searching for during the casting process for 2006's Casino Royale.
"When we started, it was a slightly different feel. We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don't think they had the gravitas, they didn't have the experience, they didn't have the mental capacity to take it on, because it's not just the part they're taking on, it's a massive responsibility." McWilliams remembered the casting process for Casino Royale, which opened with Bond becoming a 00 agent. The notion of a younger Bond was scrapped, and they went "back to the drawing board" and started over after a number of unsuccessful auditions, she said. James Bond was finally cast as Daniel Craig, then 37, in 2005.
Henry Cavill, who had applied for Casino Royale at the age of 22, was rejected for the job, according to McWilliams, who also mentioned in the interview that opting against hiring a younger actor as Bond was one of the factors. Since then, Cavill, who is now 39, has emerged as a preferred choice for the venerable superspy. Cavill has acknowledged that he is too busy right now to play the part, despite the widespread desire to see him don the legendary suit. "I love those guys, Barbara and Mike... Whether I'm considered for the role or not, I don't know. But it'd be fun to have the conversation, for sure. And if I'm not, then I just want to see what they do with it next, because I think they’re amazing."
Although James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli announced in February 2023 that casting for the twenty-sixth Bond movie has not yet started, fans are curious to hear who would follow Craig as 007 at this point. She previously outlined how choosing an actor to play Bond is not as straightforward as picking one, and that a lot of consideration goes into the upcoming series of Bond Movies before casting options are ever considered. "And then, once we figure that out, who’s the right person for that particular reinvention? It’s an evolution". The James Bond film series' production firm, Eon Eon Productions, is anticipated to start looking for the new 007 in 2023.
In the subsequent 15 years following his Casino Royale debut, Daniel Craig would play James Bond four more times, in the films Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021). The five-film run of Craig was the first time Eon Productions "cracked Bond open emotionally," allowing viewers to glimpse the persona's innermost thoughts. The first James Bond death to appear on film occurred during Craig's run, and it occurred at the conclusion of No Time to Die.
"When we started, it was a slightly different feel. We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don't think they had the gravitas, they didn't have the experience, they didn't have the mental capacity to take it on, because it's not just the part they're taking on, it's a massive responsibility." McWilliams remembered the casting process for Casino Royale, which opened with Bond becoming a 00 agent. The notion of a younger Bond was scrapped, and they went "back to the drawing board" and started over after a number of unsuccessful auditions, she said. James Bond was finally cast as Daniel Craig, then 37, in 2005.
Henry Cavill, who had applied for Casino Royale at the age of 22, was rejected for the job, according to McWilliams, who also mentioned in the interview that opting against hiring a younger actor as Bond was one of the factors. Since then, Cavill, who is now 39, has emerged as a preferred choice for the venerable superspy. Cavill has acknowledged that he is too busy right now to play the part, despite the widespread desire to see him don the legendary suit. "I love those guys, Barbara and Mike... Whether I'm considered for the role or not, I don't know. But it'd be fun to have the conversation, for sure. And if I'm not, then I just want to see what they do with it next, because I think they’re amazing."
Although James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli announced in February 2023 that casting for the twenty-sixth Bond movie has not yet started, fans are curious to hear who would follow Craig as 007 at this point. She previously outlined how choosing an actor to play Bond is not as straightforward as picking one, and that a lot of consideration goes into the upcoming series of Bond Movies before casting options are ever considered. "And then, once we figure that out, who’s the right person for that particular reinvention? It’s an evolution". The James Bond film series' production firm, Eon Eon Productions, is anticipated to start looking for the new 007 in 2023.
In the subsequent 15 years following his Casino Royale debut, Daniel Craig would play James Bond four more times, in the films Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time to Die (2021). The five-film run of Craig was the first time Eon Productions "cracked Bond open emotionally," allowing viewers to glimpse the persona's innermost thoughts. The first James Bond death to appear on film occurred during Craig's run, and it occurred at the conclusion of No Time to Die.
Share this article
Advertisement