I looked this guy up. He apparently has some connection to the producers (Heyman and Pascal). Might not be terrible, but from pictures, he definitely could use some time in the gym to lean out and get in Bond fighting trim. I will say, in many photos, his face would not be bad for Bond at all. At 26, he just might be a bit too young.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 30,877Chief of Staff
I certainly get the impression that 26 years of age is about what the producers are looking for…but then you get snippets from Knight saying he loves the old Bond character tropes and he’s enjoying writing them…🤔
I care less about his looks than his ability, but I haven't seen him in anything so can't say.
At the moment we only know of one person they've looked at so we can't tell whether they're looking for young unknowns in particular, or whether their search includes young unknowns amongst everyone else. Last time out they tested the very young and unknown Cavill and ended up going for the older and more experienced Craig. One name doesn't tell us much.
I agree that casting by looks is the wrong way to go. I am a fan of OHMSS and think George acquitted himself in the role—but no more male models, please. I don’t want an ugly Bond, but I’d take someone with charisma and presence (and talent we can hope) over an actor who “has the look.”
And I would imagine as well that they’re looking at a range of actors now even if they do have a favorite.
Both Roger Moore and Brosnan did modeling before they were cast as Bond. I think the goal should be to cast someone with a solid acting background. If they’ve done some modeling too it's no hindrance.
I didn’t mean that the actor could never have modeled. I meant that whether “he looks like Bond” or is “straight out of central casting” is a lower priority to me than how he commands the screen.
So I’d rank physicality higher, for instance. Connery set the standard in gliding through scenes like a man who could break your neck. God bless Roger, but he didn’t look capable of touching his toes. That said, he had real charm and a great voice and I understand why he is many people’s favorite 007, even if he isn’t mine.
James Bond has always epitomized the old saying: men want to be him, women want to be with him. It’s one of the hardest roles in cinema to cast for that reason, especially now when there are so few bankable movie stars. Actors as diverse as Steve McQueen and Toshiro Mifune and Robert Mitchum had that quality for me. I’m using them as examples because they never played Bond—and never should have played a British secret agent—but they embodied that kind of effortless masculinity for me.
And again, I’m talking about a certain quality I want. I’m not suggesting specific actors I would have liked to see in the role.
Yeah I remember a couple of years ago feeling like I was going mad when someone posted a photo of David Gandy on mi6 and all of the replies were people saying how good he would be as Bond: it's nuts. James Bond wasn't a hit because Sean Connery looked nice: he won a bloody Oscar- he was an excellent film star. I don't want a photograph to play 007.
Baz Bamigboye had a quote from Nina Gold the other day saying that whoever the new Bond is, he must 'ooze sex appeal', and I think that's bang on the right way to approach it. And sex appeal isn't about being good-looking and having black hair: I'd suggest that both Roger and Pierce are very handsome men but almost completely lacking in sex appeal. Doesn't make them bad Bonds at all, but I think after Craig was so popular and seen as being sexy enough to have an ice lolly made of his torso put on sale, it's not a bad place to start.
I still lean towards Aaron Pierre on that basis, but I'm sure there's plenty more out there as well. I'm hoping that when Ms Gold finds their Bond it's a bit of an "Oh, of course: him!" moment.
Aaron Pierre was absolutely terrific in Rebel Ridge. By far one of the most talented actors of his generation imho.
Having said that, I don't necessarily see him in the part. I obviously wouldn't mind if he's chosen, but there's something with Elordi I can't really describe (perhaps Villeneuve's involvement) which makes me think the guy is the contender I'd like to see the most as the next Bond.
I'm not 100% feeling Elordi still, but equally he is a talented actor who an awful lot of women find very swoonsome, so I'd certainly give him a chance if he were picked.
Bamigboye suggests two actors in his article. David Shields and Luke Thompson, but looking at them I'm not impressed.
It's clear Nina Gold is scouring UK theatre for candidates, and Babs Broccoli has been heavily involved in theatre so I dare say EON still has some sway.
Aaron Pierre, David Shields and Luke Thompson all seem like .... okay candidates. I don't think I've seen any of them act, so I can't be too sure. They all seem qualified as candidates, but they don't seem striking or distinctive.
Honestly: a balding, tattooed hairy Scottish ex-bodybuilder from the dirt of Edinburgh is clearly all-wrong to play a super-smooth, urbane, Chelsea-living English superspy... and yet... he wasn't. Maybe all of these arbitrary 'he's too tall, he's too wide, his hair is wrong' etc. reasons are kind of nonsense in the end if one of the best guys to play the role is also totally unsuitable on paper.
Just like with Connery's tats, there is such a thing as makeup; and the guy is well-built but he's hardly The Rock, and 007 being a bit athletic is hardly against the ethos of the character.
I guess it depends if that has a future or not; it felt like it was a one-off series to me from the trailer but it may not be. Could certainly be a potential issue though.
Comments
Barbel would make an excellent James Bond.
Commander James Bond RNR, retired from the Royal Navy and now enjoying a career in music, is called back into service.
Adventures in the Scottish Highlands, Hebrides and the Orkney / Shetland Islands.
Mysterious enemies, occult forces...maybe even an Aleister Crowley inspired cult.
That's a BBC2 TV series right there.
Something very similar to Don Henderson's 'Bulman'...one of my all time favorite TV shows.
I would love to watch 'Commander Bond' starring Barbel.
I looked this guy up. He apparently has some connection to the producers (Heyman and Pascal). Might not be terrible, but from pictures, he definitely could use some time in the gym to lean out and get in Bond fighting trim. I will say, in many photos, his face would not be bad for Bond at all. At 26, he just might be a bit too young.
I certainly get the impression that 26 years of age is about what the producers are looking for…but then you get snippets from Knight saying he loves the old Bond character tropes and he’s enjoying writing them…🤔
I care less about his looks than his ability, but I haven't seen him in anything so can't say.
At the moment we only know of one person they've looked at so we can't tell whether they're looking for young unknowns in particular, or whether their search includes young unknowns amongst everyone else. Last time out they tested the very young and unknown Cavill and ended up going for the older and more experienced Craig. One name doesn't tell us much.
I agree that casting by looks is the wrong way to go. I am a fan of OHMSS and think George acquitted himself in the role—but no more male models, please. I don’t want an ugly Bond, but I’d take someone with charisma and presence (and talent we can hope) over an actor who “has the look.”
And I would imagine as well that they’re looking at a range of actors now even if they do have a favorite.
Both Roger Moore and Brosnan did modeling before they were cast as Bond. I think the goal should be to cast someone with a solid acting background. If they’ve done some modeling too it's no hindrance.
I didn’t mean that the actor could never have modeled. I meant that whether “he looks like Bond” or is “straight out of central casting” is a lower priority to me than how he commands the screen.
So I’d rank physicality higher, for instance. Connery set the standard in gliding through scenes like a man who could break your neck. God bless Roger, but he didn’t look capable of touching his toes. That said, he had real charm and a great voice and I understand why he is many people’s favorite 007, even if he isn’t mine.
James Bond has always epitomized the old saying: men want to be him, women want to be with him. It’s one of the hardest roles in cinema to cast for that reason, especially now when there are so few bankable movie stars. Actors as diverse as Steve McQueen and Toshiro Mifune and Robert Mitchum had that quality for me. I’m using them as examples because they never played Bond—and never should have played a British secret agent—but they embodied that kind of effortless masculinity for me.
And again, I’m talking about a certain quality I want. I’m not suggesting specific actors I would have liked to see in the role.
Yeah I remember a couple of years ago feeling like I was going mad when someone posted a photo of David Gandy on mi6 and all of the replies were people saying how good he would be as Bond: it's nuts. James Bond wasn't a hit because Sean Connery looked nice: he won a bloody Oscar- he was an excellent film star. I don't want a photograph to play 007.
Baz Bamigboye had a quote from Nina Gold the other day saying that whoever the new Bond is, he must 'ooze sex appeal', and I think that's bang on the right way to approach it. And sex appeal isn't about being good-looking and having black hair: I'd suggest that both Roger and Pierce are very handsome men but almost completely lacking in sex appeal. Doesn't make them bad Bonds at all, but I think after Craig was so popular and seen as being sexy enough to have an ice lolly made of his torso put on sale, it's not a bad place to start.
I'd say James bond must ooze sex appeal and potential danger.
I still lean towards Aaron Pierre on that basis, but I'm sure there's plenty more out there as well. I'm hoping that when Ms Gold finds their Bond it's a bit of an "Oh, of course: him!" moment.
Aaron Pierre was absolutely terrific in Rebel Ridge. By far one of the most talented actors of his generation imho.
Having said that, I don't necessarily see him in the part. I obviously wouldn't mind if he's chosen, but there's something with Elordi I can't really describe (perhaps Villeneuve's involvement) which makes me think the guy is the contender I'd like to see the most as the next Bond.
I'm not 100% feeling Elordi still, but equally he is a talented actor who an awful lot of women find very swoonsome, so I'd certainly give him a chance if he were picked.
Bamigboye suggests two actors in his article. David Shields and Luke Thompson, but looking at them I'm not impressed.
It's clear Nina Gold is scouring UK theatre for candidates, and Babs Broccoli has been heavily involved in theatre so I dare say EON still has some sway.
Aaron Pierre, David Shields and Luke Thompson all seem like .... okay candidates. I don't think I've seen any of them act, so I can't be too sure. They all seem qualified as candidates, but they don't seem striking or distinctive.
Aaron Pierre is legit.
Huge muscle-bound dude covered in tattoos... Not seeing a Bond vibe at all.
A tattooed bodybuilder playing Bond? Whatever next.
Fair enough, but Connery was no longer a bodybuilder at the time of his casting in the role, and his tattoos didn't amount to a full sleeve.
Yes it's different because it's in the past 😅
Honestly: a balding, tattooed hairy Scottish ex-bodybuilder from the dirt of Edinburgh is clearly all-wrong to play a super-smooth, urbane, Chelsea-living English superspy... and yet... he wasn't. Maybe all of these arbitrary 'he's too tall, he's too wide, his hair is wrong' etc. reasons are kind of nonsense in the end if one of the best guys to play the role is also totally unsuitable on paper.
Just like with Connery's tats, there is such a thing as makeup; and the guy is well-built but he's hardly The Rock, and 007 being a bit athletic is hardly against the ethos of the character.
I'd like to point out that Daniel Craig has a bunch of tattoos as well.
Really? I didn’t even know that!
Isn't he tied up with the Lanterns series?
I guess it depends if that has a future or not; it felt like it was a one-off series to me from the trailer but it may not be. Could certainly be a potential issue though.
I only knew this from a BTS pic of the PTS of Spectre.
Aaron Pierre is such a good actor that I didn't know he was a Brit...
Looking forward to seeing him in LANTERNS on HBO.