'If You Play Bond, We’re Not Getting Married’: 11 Actors Who Reportedly Turned 007 Down

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Meanwhile, Sir Idris Elba, who’s long been touted as a great 007 option, said speculation about his casting was “just a rumour”. But what about the actors who really were offered the part and turned it down? Here are 11 performers who allegedly said “no” the iconic role: Hugh Jackman In an interview with IndieWire, Les Mis star Hugh Jackman said he rejected a part in 2006’s Casino Royale due to other engagements. Hugh Jackman He said of the offer: “I had a look at it... I was like, ‘If I’m doing that and Wolverine, I’ll have no time to do anything else.’” He’s also shared: “I was about to do X-Men 2 and a call came from my agent asking if I’d be interested in Bond. I just felt at the time that the scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy, and I felt like they needed to become grittier and real... “People wanted me to play that kind of hero part exclusively. It felt a little bit claustrophobic.” Richard Burton Cleopatra actor Richard Burton was reportedly one of the first people that the author of the Bond books, Ian Fleming, looked to cast for the first film, Dr No. According to the actor’s great-nephew, Guy Masterson, “My uncle told me that Ian Fleming had approached him, asking him to play Bond. “But, back then, in 1959, Bond was a new concept, and nobody had any idea it would be as big as it became. My uncle told me that he thought it was going to be just another movie. “No matter how big Bond became, he never said he regretted missing out on the role. Had Burton played Bond, I think he would have been absolutely fantastic.” Clint Eastwood Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 2010, the four-time Academy Award winner said he was “offered pretty good money to do James Bond if I would take on the role. This was after Sean Connery left. “My lawyer represented [then-007 producers] the Broccolis, and he came and said, ‘They would love to have you.’ But to me, well, that was somebody else’s gig. That’s Sean’s deal. It didn’t feel right for me to be doing it”. Clint Eastwood There was another reason, too: in 2021, he told The Express, “I thought James Bond should be British. “I am of British descent, but by that same token, I thought that it should be more of the culture there. It was not my thing.” Michael Gambon Sir Michael Gambon, who played Albus Dumbledore in six of the Harry Potter films, claimed: “I didn’t want the part because I’m not like [Bond]. I haven’t got nice hair, and I’m a bit fat. “And [the producer Sir Michael was speaking to] said, ‘Well, the present James Bond doesn’t have any hair. It’s a wig.’” Burt Reynolds Deliverance star Burt Reynolds apparently regretted his choice to reject the part. In 2015, he told USA Today that he didn’t think fans would be on board with an American Bond – “the public won’t accept it”. Burt Reynolds He added, “It was a stupid thing to say. I could’ve done it and I could’ve done it well.” Adam West Actor Adam West’s Batman co-star, Burt Ward, who played Robin in the superhero films, told the Express: “Yes, he actually turned the role [of Bond] down, and the reason why [is] he thought from a technical standpoint that it should be a Brit that plays the role. He added, “I think he would have been great, he would have been fabulous. He would have been closer, in my opinion, to Sean Connery, even than Roger Moore. Sean has even more of that satirical twinkle in the eye”. Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor According to Martin Campbell, who directed Casino Royale, Daniel Craig only landed his on-screen licence to kill after the Star Wars actor turned the part down: “I think [Ewan] got another job or decided he didn’t want to do it”, he said. Campbell suspected Ewan McGregor was worried about being typecast after his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Liam Neeson Irish actor Liam Neeson has claimed his late wife, Natasha Richardson, wouldn’t have married him if he played Bond. “I was heavily courted, let’s put it that way, and I’m sure some other actors were too,” Liam told the Hull Daily Mail. Liam Neeson “It was about 18 or 19 years ago, and my wife-to-be said, ‘If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married’. And I had to take that on board because I did want to marry her.” Rod Taylor The Aussie celeb was reportedly sought out for the first on-screen role in the late ’50s. He later confessed: “Producer Cubby Broccoli wanted me to screen test for James Bond when he was preparing Dr No in 1961. “I refused because I thought it was beneath me,” he continued. “I didn’t think Bond would be successful in the movies. That was one of the greatest mistakes of my career! Every time a new Bond picture became a smash hit, I tore out my hair. Cubby and I have laughed about it ever since”. Cary Grant Ingrid Berman, Cary Grant The two-time Academy Award nominee was allegedly Ian Fleming’s first choice for the initial movie (he was also the first man at then-Bond bigwig Cubby Broccoli’s wedding). But Grant, who was in his 50s at the time, was reportedly only interested in a one-film deal, while the studio wanted him on the hook for five. As a result, the deal fell through, and Sean Connery landed the gig. Christian Bale The American Psycho actor explained his reasoning in his biography, Christian Bale: The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman. Christian Bale In the book, Christian said James Bond represented “every despicable stereotype about England and British actors”, adding he had “already played a serial killer”. Related... Fans 'Caught Off Guard' As Heartstopper Star Emerges As New Favourite To Play James Bond Richard Osman Reckons He Knows Who The New James Bond Could Be There's Been An Update On Who Might Play The Next James Bond

Who’ll play the next James Bond? That question has plagued fans in the five years since the franchise’s bosses confirmed “the search for the next James Bond” had begun. Favourites so far have included Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, and more recently, Heartstopper actor Jack Barton. Meanwhile, Sir Idris Elba, who’s long been touted as a great 007 option, said speculation about his casting was “just a rumour”. But what about the actors who really were offered the part and turned it down? Here are 11 performers who allegedly said “no” the iconic role: Hugh Jackman In an interview with IndieWire, Les Mis star Hugh Jackman said he rejected a part in 2006’s Casino Royale due to other engagements. Hugh Jackman He said of the offer: “I had a look at it... I was like, ‘If I’m doing that and Wolverine, I’ll have no time to do anything else.’” He’s also shared: “I was about to do X-Men 2 and a call came from my agent asking if I’d be interested in Bond. I just felt at the time that the scripts had become so unbelievable and crazy, and I felt like they needed to become grittier and real... “People wanted me to play that kind of hero part exclusively. It felt a little bit claustrophobic.” Richard Burton Cleopatra actor Richard Burton was reportedly one of the first people that the author of the Bond books, Ian Fleming, looked to cast for the first film, Dr No. According to the actor’s great-nephew, Guy Masterson, “My uncle told me that Ian Fleming had approached him, asking him to play Bond. “But, back then, in 1959, Bond was a new concept, and nobody had any idea it would be as big as it became. My uncle told me that he thought it was going to be just another movie. “No matter how big Bond became, he never said he regretted missing out on the role. Had Burton played Bond, I think he would have been absolutely fantastic.” Clint Eastwood Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 2010, the four-time Academy Award winner said he was “offered pretty good money to do James Bond if I would take on the role. This was after Sean Connery left. “My lawyer represented [then-007 producers] the Broccolis, and he came and said, ‘They would love to have you.’ But to me, well, that was somebody else’s gig. That’s Sean’s deal. It didn’t feel right for me to be doing it”. Clint Eastwood There was another reason, too: in 2021, he told The Express, “I thought James Bond should be British. “I am of British descent, but by that same token, I thought that it should be more of the culture there. It was not my thing.” Michael Gambon Sir Michael Gambon, who played Albus Dumbledore in six of the Harry Potter films, claimed: “I didn’t want the part because I’m not like [Bond]. I haven’t got nice hair, and I’m a bit fat. “And [the producer Sir Michael was speaking to] said, ‘Well, the present James Bond doesn’t have any hair. It’s a wig.’” Burt Reynolds Deliverance star Burt Reynolds apparently regretted his choice to reject the part. In 2015, he told USA Today that he didn’t think fans would be on board with an American Bond – “the public won’t accept it”. Burt Reynolds He added, “It was a stupid thing to say. I could’ve done it and I could’ve done it well.” Adam West Actor Adam West’s Batman co-star, Burt Ward, who played Robin in the superhero films, told the Express: “Yes, he actually turned the role [of Bond] down, and the reason why [is] he thought from a technical standpoint that it should be a Brit that plays the role. He added, “I think he would have been great, he would have been fabulous. He would have been closer, in my opinion, to Sean Connery, even than Roger Moore. Sean has even more of that satirical twinkle in the eye”. Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor According to Martin Campbell, who directed Casino Royale, Daniel Craig only landed his on-screen licence to kill after the Star Wars actor turned the part down: “I think [Ewan] got another job or decided he didn’t want to do it”, he said. Campbell suspected Ewan McGregor was worried about being typecast after his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Liam Neeson Irish actor Liam Neeson has claimed his late wife, Natasha Richardson, wouldn’t have married him if he played Bond. “I was heavily courted, let’s put it that way, and I’m sure some other actors were too,” Liam told the Hull Daily Mail. Liam Neeson “It was about 18 or 19 years ago, and my wife-to-be said, ‘If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married’. And I had to take that on board because I did want to marry her.” Rod Taylor The Aussie celeb was reportedly sought out for the first on-screen role in the late ’50s. He later confessed: “Producer Cubby Broccoli wanted me to screen test for James Bond when he was preparing Dr No in 1961. “I refused because I thought it was beneath me,” he continued. “I didn’t think Bond would be successful in the movies. That was one of the greatest mistakes of my career! Every time a new Bond picture became a smash hit, I tore out my hair. Cubby and I have laughed about it ever since”. Cary Grant Ingrid Berman, Cary Grant The two-time Academy Award nominee was allegedly Ian Fleming’s first choice for the initial movie (he was also the first man at then-Bond bigwig Cubby Broccoli’s wedding). But Grant, who was in his 50s at the time, was reportedly only interested in a one-film deal, while the studio wanted him on the hook for five. As a result, the deal fell through, and Sean Connery landed the gig. Christian Bale The American Psycho actor explained his reasoning in his biography, Christian Bale: The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman. Christian Bale In the book, Christian said James Bond represented “every despicable stereotype about England and British actors”, adding he had “already played a serial killer”. Related... Fans 'Caught Off Guard' As Heartstopper Star Emerges As New Favourite To Play James Bond Richard Osman Reckons He Knows Who The New James Bond Could Be There's Been An Update On Who Might Play The Next James Bond