13 huge Hollywood actors who were almost cast as James Bond

James Bond has go 1 of the astir coveted roles successful Hollywood with lone a fistful of stars stepping into 007’s shoes.

Timothy Dalton, George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore, Sean Connery, and Pierce Brosnan person each had their martinis shaken, not stirred, with Daniel Craig becoming the latest superspy to grace our screens.

After his last outing arsenic Bond successful 2021’s No Time To Die, fans person been speculating which prima volition adjacent instrumentality connected the role.

Various names person been thrown into the ring, including  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Mescal, and Jonathan Bailey.

But determination tin lone beryllium one, meaning there’s definite to beryllium respective immense names who audition for and suffer retired connected 1 of the movie world’s biggest gigs.

It happens each clip we get a caller Bond film, aft all, with these 13 actors each losing retired connected the accidental to don the celebrated tuxedo.

Sir Michael Caine

Legendary histrion Sir Michael Caine precise astir became the world’s top spy – onscreen, that is.

It has been reported the Great Escaper star, 91, was offered the relation successful 1967 aft Sir Sean Connery stepped down from playing Bond aft You Only Live Twice, earlier returning for Diamonds Are Forever.

However, Sir Michael felt the relation wasn’t rather the close acceptable for him, telling The Daily Express: ‘I was ever precise overmuch much ordinary. Bond was a glamorous, imaginative creation. I’ve ever played existent people.’

Sir Michael had already played Harry Palmer successful the 1965 classical The Ipcress File, truthful helium hasn’t precisely missed retired connected dipping his toed into silver-screen espionage.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood whitethorn beryllium champion known for his Western roles, but helium could person made a people successful the satellite of spy thrillers.

As good arsenic Sir Michael, Bond creators approached Eastwood, 94, to instrumentality connected the titular relation pursuing Sir Sean’s exit from the franchise.

However, the Dirty Harry histrion said helium turned down the accidental due to the fact that helium believed James Bond should beryllium British.

He told the Los Angeles Times: ‘My lawyer represented the Broccolis [who nutrient the Bond franchise], and helium came and said: “They would emotion to person you.”

‘But to me, well, that was idiosyncratic else’s gig. That’s Sean’s deal. It didn’t consciousness close for maine to beryllium doing it.’

Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill has often been among favourite lists to become the adjacent Bond, and it turns out, helium precise astir pipped Daniel Craig to the coveted role.

The Superman actor, 41, auditioned for the relation successful the aboriginal 00s but was deemed excessively young to represent the superspy.

Argylls manager Matthew Vaughn shared a communicative with Cavill during a SiriusXM interrogation earlier this year, recalling: ‘When Henry was auditioning for Bond, I was astatine Pinewood, right? And Daniel was arsenic good astatine the aforesaid time.

‘I’d spell disconnected and conscionable with Daniel and [I’d] accidental what’s going on, and helium said there’s this young guy, Henry Cavill I deliberation they’re seeing arsenic good [for the auditions].’

He told Cavill: ‘It got down to the past 2 for Bond… And I cognize that the manager preferred your audition. But [producer] Barbara [Broccoli] preferred [Craig]. So, conscionable truthful you know, and they decided you were excessively young.’

In a abstracted 2022 interview, Cavill said: ‘They told maine I was close. They told maine it was yet down to, and this is what I’ve been told, it was conscionable down to maine and Daniel [Craig], and I was the younger option.’

Cavill continued connected the Happy Sad Confused podcast: ‘They evidently went with Daniel and I deliberation it was an astonishing prime to spell with Daniel.’

Sam Neill

Sam Neill became a household sanction aft appearing arsenic Dr Alan Grant successful the Jurassic Park franchise, but helium astir became the cardinal fig of the espionage films.

The Omen III actor, 77, came precise adjacent to playing Bond successful the 1987 movie The Living Daylights, who went connected to beryllium played by Timothy Dalton.

Speaking successful 2022, the prima said helium conscionable wasn’t funny successful taking connected the relation and wouldn’t person taken it adjacent if helium was asked.

‘First of all, I wouldn’t person taken the relation if they’d asked maine to bash it,’ helium told Den Of Geek.

‘It was the past clip that I was bullied into doing a surface test. My cause insisted that I spell and bash it, [saying] it would beryllium rude otherwise. So reluctantly I went retired to Pinewood [Studios] and did this silly happening for a portion I ne'er wanted to do.’

Adam West

Famed for starring arsenic Batman successful the deed 1960s TV amusement arsenic good arsenic the 1966 movie, we astir saw Adam West arsenic Bond.

Robin histrion Burt Ward claimed his precocious co-star turned down the 007 relation successful the 1960s for the aforesaid crushed arsenic Eastwood and that a British histrion should alternatively instrumentality the spot.

‘Yes, helium really turned the relation down, and the crushed why? He thought from a method standpoint that it should beryllium a Brit that plays the role,’ helium told The Express.

‘I deliberation helium would person been great, helium would person been fabulous. He would person been closer, successful my opinion, to Sean Connery, adjacent than Roger Moore. Sean has adjacent much of that satirical twinkle successful the eye.’

Christian Bale

Just similar Neill, American Psycho prima Christian Bale has perfectly no involvement successful playing James Bond, contempt astir getting the accidental to.

Barbara Broccoli went to the Batman star, 50, with an connection to play Bond aft Pierce Brosnan near the relation successful 1999 pursuing his quality successful The World Is Not Enough.

But it was revealed Bale turned down the relation outright, revealing to The Express successful 2023 his crushed why.

‘James Bond was each despicable stereotype astir England and British actors,’ helium said.

He adjacent compared the relation to his iconic quality Patrick Bateman, stating: ‘I already played a serial killer.’

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Cary Grant

Cary Grant was initially really successful the relation of James Bond, but 1 large stumbling constituent saw him suffer the relation and Sean Connery instrumentality it.

The precocious To Catch a Thief and North By Northwest prima was hired by Dr No shaper Cubby Broccoli, but helium reportedly lone wanted to marque 1 movie.

This was due to the fact that helium was 58 years aged astatine the clip and didn’t privation to motion a multi-movie woody that galore younger actors did.

This led producers to formed Connery instead, who went connected to look successful 7 Bond films.

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman was earnestly considered for the relation of Bond aft Pierce Brosnan checked retired aft 2002’s Die Another Day.

After catching producers’ eyes arsenic X-Men leader Wolverine, Jackman, 56, revealed helium was progressive successful archetypal discussions to play the spy, but his commitments to the X-Men franchise meant they amounted to nothing.

‘I was astir to bash X-Men 2 and a telephone came from my cause asking if I’d beryllium funny successful Bond,’ helium said (per People).

‘I conscionable felt astatine the clip that the scripts had go truthful unbelievable and crazy, and I felt similar they needed to go grittier and real.

‘And the effect was: “Oh, you don’t get a say. You conscionable person to motion on.” I was besides disquieted that betwixt Bond and X-Men, I’d ne'er person clip to bash antithetic things.’

After Brosnan’s departure, Daniel Craig took connected the role, archetypal appearing successful 2006’s Casino Royale.

Liam Neeson

The Taken films proved Liam Neeson has what it takes to bid an enactment franchise, truthful helium could person been the cleanable acceptable for Bond.

The Irish actor, 72, was rumoured to person turned down the pb relation successful the 1995 movie GoldenEye, which became Brosnan’s archetypal appearance.

However, Neeson denied the rumours during an interrogation with Rolling Stone but did accidental helium had received ‘feelers’ from casting directors attached to the project.

But helium turned it down due to the fact that it would person meant helium could not wed his precocious woman Natasha Richardson, with whom helium tied the knot successful 1994 and remained with until her decease successful 2009.

‘I cognize the Broccolis. They looked astatine a clump of actors,’ helium shared. ‘Schindler’s List had travel retired and Barbara [Broccoli] had called maine a mates of times to inquire if I was interested, and I said, “Yes, I would beryllium interested.”

‘And past my beauteous woman [Natasha Richardson], God remainder her soul, said to maine portion we were shooting Nell down successful the Carolinas, “Liam, I privation to archer you something: If you play James Bond, we’re not getting married.”

‘She gave maine a James Bond ultimatum, and she meant it! Come on, there’s each those gorgeous girls successful assorted countries getting into furniture and getting retired of bed. I’m definite a batch of her decision-making was based connected that!’

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes took implicit from Judi Dench arsenic MI6 brag M successful 2012 movie Skyfall but helium astir played Bond himself.

The Voldemort actor, 61, revealed helium had a gathering with Cubby Broccoli that was ‘terrific’ involving talks for the pb relation aft Timothy Dalton’s last enslaved film, 1989’s Licence to Kill.

‘There was an aboriginal conversation. There was a speech that was great, and a gathering with Cubby Broccoli that was terrific,’ helium told Sunday Telegraph’s Seven Magazine.

‘I deliberation that’s each I tin truly say, but that it didn’t pb to thing connected some sides.

‘I don’t deliberation I felt acceptable to commit, and I deliberation they were looking astatine Pierce. I deliberation I would person been a unspeakable Bond anyway.’

Mel Gibson

The 1979 movie Mad Max saw each eyes connected the pb prima Mel Gibson, who would spell connected to roles successful Braveheart and The Passion of The Christ.

But helium was besides considered for James Bond backmost erstwhile Sir Roger Moore near the franchise pursuing the 1981 movie For Your Eyes Only.

Producer Albert R. Broccoli reportedly approached the actor, but Gibson, 68, yet turned the connection down aft seeing Connery ‘stuck’ successful the occupation for galore years.

‘I got offered the James Bond movies erstwhile I was similar 26, which is similar 40 years ago, okay?’ helium told Jo Blo successful 2022.

‘And they said, “Hey, we privation you to beryllium the adjacent James Bond?” And I thought astir it; I was successful Australia, I was moving with Peter Weir [on Gallipoli]. And I did deliberation astir it, and I benignant of turned it down – for that reason.

‘I thought, look what happened to mediocre Sean, helium got stuck determination for similar 3 decades.’

Richard Burton

Fames for roles successful Cleopatra, Where Eagles Dare, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Richard Burton astir added James Bond to his awesome filmography.

In 2012, unearthed documents revealed that creator Ian Fleming decided successful 1957 that helium wanted the precocious histrion Burton to play the celebrated spy successful a movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

He wrote: ‘Both Dehn [screenwriter] and I deliberation that Richard Burton would beryllium by acold the champion James Bond!’

He went connected to inquire transgression novelist Eric Ambler if helium thought Hitchcock would beryllium funny successful directing the film, writing: ‘Would Hitchcock beryllium funny successful directing archetypal Bond film? Plentiful concern available. Think we mightiness person a victor peculiarly if you were funny successful scripting.’

The task ne'er got disconnected the ground, and Fleming yet sold the rights to producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli.

Sean Bean

Sean Bean was erstwhile considered to play Bond – but possibly it was a fortunate flight for the celebrated spy fixed however galore times the histrion has played characters who person died onscreen.

The Lord Of The Rings actor, 65, really auditioned to play Bond twice, going up against some Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan.

He reportedly impressed producers some times, and his audition was truthful bully that helium did yet onshore a relation arsenic a Bond villain.

He did spell connected to play Alec Trevelyan successful GoldenEye, an cause gone rogue who faces disconnected against Bond.

Originally the film’s antagonist was meant to beryllium Augustus Trevelyan, a erstwhile mentor of Bond’s who had gone rogue, but it was yet tweaked to go Alec meaning the relation suited a younger actor.

And contempt Bean lone being six years younger than Brosnan, helium was captivating successful the relation of Trevelyan, contempt missing retired connected the Bond relation not once, but twice.

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