Taking on the role of James Bond has fallen to seven separate actors over the years, but viewers largely only remember three. No offense to David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, or Timothy Dalton, who all admirably took on the 007 mantle at one point or another, but this trio of actors has elevated Bond to a level of on-screen immortality that will be difficult to top.
Sean Connery is and always will be the titular Bond, but Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig also undeniably impressed viewers with their portrayals. They were convincing enough — particularly following several failed castings — to make their marks after inheriting some massive shoes to fill, and now that the beloved spy is once again seeking a fresh face, the casting process is being watched more closely than ever. Quite a few big names are reportedly up for the role, but it seems that one Marvel star is sporting the best chance at stepping into the spy’s coveted shoes.
Assuming that Aaron Taylor-Johnson actually manages to clinch the role, he’ll be following in the footsteps of several hugely impactful portrayals, most notably those of his direct predecessor, Craig. But with quite an age gap between the two men, is Taylor-Johnson a bit young to be taking on the role?
Daniel Craig’s age during his tenure as James Bond
By the time he took on the role of James Bond, Daniel Craig was a seasoned — but by no means aged — star. He was 38 years old when he first portrayed 007 in 2006’s Casino Royale and he went on to play the character for the next decade and a half. Taylor-Johnson will be 34 as of June 2024, making him only slightly younger than Craig was the first time he said, “Shaken, not stirred.”
Craig portrayed Bond across six films in total, starting with 2006’s Casino Royale and concluding with 2021’s No Time to Die. He was in the role for a total of 15 years and played Bond from ages 38 to 53 ⏤ an impressive tenure as the world’s greatest spy. In contrast, the other two most-remembered Bonds played the part for much shorter periods of time, and at different ages. Connery’s time in the role was sporadic, but saw him portray Bond first from 1962 to 1967, with returns in 1971 and 1983. He was only 32 when he initially took on the role, a fair few years younger than Craig, but by the time he polished off his tenure as Bond, he was 55. Brosnan, on the other hand, was a good bit older than both Craig and Connery when he started as Bond, appearing in his first 007 film at age 42. He only maintained the role between 1995 and 2002, which saw him stepping down when he was 49 years old.
