Even though the franchise has been running for 60 years and undergone countless reinventions and evolutions during that time, producer Michael G. Wilson has revealed that every single actor who auditions for the James Bond performs the exact same scene, and it’s one that would never be used in a modern-day 007 adventure.
At the recent 60th anniversary celebration hosted by the London’s British Film Institute (per Deadline), Wilson opened up about the casting methodology, and dropped a surprising tidbit about the exhaustive search that comes with the territory when you’re seeking to fill one of the most iconic roles in the history of cinema.
The scene in question comes from Sean Connery classic From Russia with Love, and it features MI6’s finest doing what he used to do best during his more debonair days; utilizing a charm offensive to talk a woman into bed. As Wilson explained, though, anyone who can pull off the 1963 exchange through a modern lens deserves the opportunity to at least be considered for a callback.
“We always use the same scene … and that’s the one in From Russia With Love where Bond comes back after the assassination to his room, and he starts taking off his shirt, goes into the room to bathe, then he hears something, takes his gun, goes in and the girl’s in the bed. That was the test we use. Anyone who can bring that scene off is right for Bond. It’s tough to do.”
Even though we now know which scene the next batch of hopefuls will be recreating, there’s still no concrete timeline on when the next Bond will be confirmed. Although, given that Wilson and producing partner Barbara Broccoli are looking for someone who can embody the part for the next decade or longer, it could be a while before we find out.
Every new Bond casting is a rigorous and lengthy process, and as far as we’ve been led to believe, things haven’t even gotten started.
