Longtime James Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams has offered an explanation for why an actor in his 30s will likely be cast as the successor to Daniel Craig’s 007 rather than someone younger. In an interview with Radio Times, Williams said that previous young actors who have auditioned for the role lacked the “gravitas” and “mental capacity” to play Bond.
“When we started, it was a slightly different feel,” McWilliams said about casting 2006’s Casino Royale. “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 continued, “So we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again.” As a result, the Bond team settled on Craig, who was in his 30s at the time. Craig went on to play 007 in five movies: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and 2021’s No Time to Die.
Earlier this year, 32-year-old British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson was reported to be among the candidates to play the next Bond. Other rumored successors have included Henry Cavill (now 39 but previously ruled out for being too young), Regé-Jean Page (34), Idris Elba (50), Jack Lowden (32), Tom Hardy (45), and James Norton (37).
Checking out our ranking of every Bond movie from worst to best.
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