Right now, somewhere on the soundstage at Pinewood Studios, several young British actors are lining up to have their dreams shattered.
Rumor has it that Amazon executives and director Denis Villeneuve are finally holding screen tests to determine who will succeed Daniel Craig as the seventh James Bond. Even M doesn’t know the full list of potential 007s, but Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and Josh O’Connor are widely believed to be among the top contenders. One of these hopefuls, and one only, will end up inheriting the most coveted male lead role in cinema history. Others will experience the emotional equivalent of being thrown from the passenger seat of an Aston Martin.
Fortunately for the losers, there is one consolation: they are not alone. Pinewood is full of dashed hopes of potential Bonds going back decades – many of whom became household names for other reasons. And, even more fortunately for the rest of us, some footage from their 007 screen tests survived intact and was leaked onto the Internet.
James Brolin — 1982
With Roger Moore talking about his retirement after Just for your eyesthe Bond producers did something unthinkable: they seriously considered casting an American. James Brolin, then aged 42 and best known for The Amityville Horrortested over several days, even adopting something that almost sounded like an English accent. Her Octopus the audition included the seduction scene of From Russia with love – a sequence that Bond producers have long used to test potential 007s – as well as a specially staged fight to test Brolin’s physical abilities. He almost got the role, until Moore agreed to return.
Sam Neil — 1986
When Moore finally retired after A view of a killingthe producers went looking for a new 007 to Living daylights. Among the contenders was the 38-year-old New Zealander then best known for the mini-series Reilly, the ace of spies And Omen III – and another seven years before Jurassic Park. Neill did the same thing From Russia with love seduction scene that Brolin had tackled four years earlier. Director John Glen reportedly favored it, but producer Cubby Broccoli was not convinced. The role ultimately went to Timothy Dalton.
Henry Cavill — 2005
Seven years before donning Superman’s cape, Cavill, 22, almost donned Bond’s tuxedo to Casino Royale. Director Martin Campbell later said the young Brit had a “terrific” audition but was simply too young for the role. For his test, Cavill swapped the former From Russia with love a bit for a more recent encounter with Bond: Pierce Brosnan’s first two-way encounter with Xenia Onatopp at the casino in Golden Eye. The role, of course, went to Daniel Craig.
Antoine Starr — 2005
The New Zealand actor was 29 years old and virtually unknown to American audiences when he joined the group. Casino Royale Bond hunting. Starr did the same thing Golden Eye scene as Cavill, but with his native Kiwi accent – an unusual sound coming out of 007’s mouth. He eventually found international fame playing the much less suave Homelander in The boys.
Friend Rupert — 2005
My friend had exactly one movie on his resume — The Libertineopposite Johnny Depp – when the 23-year-old Brit found himself auditioning to become Bond. His test used the same Golden Eye much like Cavill and Starr – but he obviously didn’t get the role either. Yet Friend soon landed Pride and prejudice and I finally got to play a CIA agent on Country.
Sam Worthington — 2005
Before Pandora called, the 29-year-old Australian actor was surprisingly close to winning the award. Casino Royale sweepstakes. Worthington was flown to London, outfitted in a tuxedo and tested with the usual tests. Golden Eye material. Worthington later admitted that he could handle Bond’s physicality, but struggled with the suave stuff – particularly the accent. Four years later, Avatar made him an international star.
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