If you’ve been keeping a proper eye on the 2025 movie schedule, then you know that Pierce Brosnan has been keeping busy. The recently released film Black Bag and the Paramount+ series MobLand has kept the seasoned actor well occupied as of late. All the while, he’s also shared some thoughts on his approach to 007 as fans continue to wait for has come up in anticipation of the upcoming James Bond 26.
Even today, fans still discuss Brosnan’s 007 movies. Now, the man himself is sharing how he balanced his portrayal between the tones of his storied predecessors. But another note he provided has me appreciating his four-film run even more, while wishing it lasted longer.
Pierce Brosnan’s Goldeneye Influences Rightfully Centered On Sean Connery And Roger Moore
Vanity Fair’s Scene Selection series welcomed Pierce Brosnan to discuss highlights from throughout his career. And, of course, when it comes to the Irish actor, it’s not uncommon for Commander Bond to come up at some point in a conversation. So, when in the hot seat for this round of questioning, the Goldeneye star shared this golden memory:
Well, Connery and Moore I let in. The first movie I saw back in 1964 when I left Ireland as a young lad at 11 years of age was Goldfinger [on] Putney High Street. Little did I think I was ever going to be James Bond. So I allowed myself, when I was working on GoldenEye to take from Connery, to take from Moore and somewhere in the middle try to find my own space and my own sense of reality and belief and sincerity, that I could play the part.
If there is one thing that’s commendable about Pierce Brosnan’s tenure in the tuxedo, besides the crafting of stronger female roles in James Bond’s history, it’d be the very mix he mentioned above. The danger and fighting prowess of Sean Connery, crossed with the wit of Roger Moore’s more cavalier 00-agent, is a sweet spot that serves the character well, in my opinion.
Though if we really want to go deep cut, I think some of that George Lazenby energy is definitely present in certain scenes of Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough. Which only “lets in” notes of Timothy Dalton, by default.
Even when the balance didn’t work, like in 2002’s infamous Die Another Day, Brosnan was always intriguing to watch in one of cinema’s most coveted roles. Yet what really took me by surprise was another shade of influence that’s not readily shown on screen – and one that kind of has me nostalgic on so many levels.
I Had No Clue How Much Ian Fleming Influenced Pierce Brosnan’s Bond
When discussing the character of James Bond, various actors highlight certain aspects they like or don’t like about his iconography. For instance, Sir Roger Moore played his version a bit campier on the basis that he didn’t like the “cold blooded killer type” Ian Fleming’s original creation represented.
That sort of thing always has to be reckoned with when it comes to stepping into a project like Goldeneye, especially when it’s meant to relaunch this series after a lengthy gap. It’s incredibly admirable that Pierce Brosnan wanted to cross those influences in his corner of the 007 legacy. However, Brosnan’s further reflection represents something even more valuable:
It’s such a challenge, because you really deal with yourself when you play this part. Casino Royale is really the blueprint for the character. [Ian] Fleming didn’t really give you much insight into who Bond was. So you read the books, you read the script, focus on the script, and you try to be the man. It’s kind of as simple as that and as complicated as that without going into too much embroidery of the psychological makings of the fellow.
What surprises me here isn’t that Brosnan read 007’s 1953 origin story, but rather that he directly cited it as a source in his portrayal. If anyone’s best known for hammering home the importance of “returning to Fleming,” it’s most notably Timothy Dalton. But the Mamma Mia! actor absolutely has the enigmatic air of Bond, especially his lack of a proper past, down to a tee.
Also, considering Pierce Brosnan was almost cast in The Living Daylights, I now have a desire to peer into the alternate universe in which that happened – just to see the results. However, if I did, that’d take my focus off of catching up with MobLand, which sees a very villainous Brosnan turn being dealt every Sunday on Paramount+.
My musings on that topic aside, though, it’s wonderful to hear Brosnan’s cerebral thoughts on the character of James Bond. There’s a reason people still hold his portrayal in high regard, and I’d definitely argue that he left his mark on the 007 legacy as Sean Connery and Roger Moore did before him.