Daniel Craig may have previously said that he doesn’t care who becomes the next James Bond actor but he certainly had fans guessing when he hinted about it during Sunday’s 15th Governors Awards.
In a recent interview for his latest film Queer, the 56-year-old seemed disinterested when asked who he’d like to take over the mantle of Agent 007. He bluntly replied, “I don’t care” and even had trouble remembering the number of Bond films he’s made before he counted down to five.
But Sunday night’s event had him sharing a cryptic tease about the new James Bond. He probably did it to lighten the mood when he took to the stage of L.A.’s Dolby Theater to present Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
Craig said: “Let’s just get something out of the way. If you came here this evening to find out who the next James Bond is, don’t look at me. But he might be in the room.… I’m just joking… maybe I’m not.”
He then said of Broccoli and Wilson: “They take risks on people. They took a big risk on me.” In a video montage that followed, former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan, Bond villain Javier Bardem, and Bond girls Léa Seydoux and Naomie Harris all praised the step-siblings.
Meanwhile, Wilson dedicated the award to all the previous Bonds and mentioned them by name. He also dedicated it to those who helped make the films and to the millions of viewers before he praised his sister: “My sister Barbara is only the second woman to be given this prestigious award,” (he also noted that Lucasfilm producer Kathleen Kennedy was the first) and then turned to Broccoli to share his gratitude.
“I have to say thank you to you for the support and inspiration you’ve given to me over the last 40 years.” She replied in kind saying: “Thank you, Michael, for always putting up with me and supporting me.” She then closed her speech by addressing their late father, Bond film franchise co-creator Albert “Cubby” Broccoli: “Thank you, Daddy, for giving me the greatest life imaginable.”
Craig’s cryptic tease certainly had fans checking out the Governors Awards guest list for potential Bond candidates, especially those that match the description the producers recently teased. They want a male actor in his 30s who doesn’t necessarily have to be white.
“Every time we cast a new actor, the films change. It’s the excitement of a new Bond, a new direction. Every one of these people who took on the role offered something new and different,” Wilson said in an interview with the Associated Press.
Craig’s Queer co-star Drew Starkey, 31, Paul Mescal, 28, (Gladiator II), Andrew Garfield, Sebastian Stan, Jamie Foxx, Nicholas Hoult, 34, and Harris Dickinson, are just some of the actors in attendance during the Governors Awards. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 34 is widely rumored to be the new James Bond actor but the producers are staying tight-lipped.
Johnson also dodged the question when asked if he will be the new James Bond actor in an interview with Rolling Stone, following rumors that he’s received a formal offer for the role. “I can only really talk about the things I’m going to show and tell. So, The Fall Guy, Nosferatu, Kraven the Hunter. I’m here to promote those,” he said. When prodded for any form of acknowledgment about being in the James Bond franchise, he replied with a tight-lipped silence.
Published: Nov 19, 2024 05:55 am