Final James Bond screen tests have begun, which means there’s a chance that while you’re reading this an actor is auditioning in London for the biggest role of their life, a casting that could make its mark on one of the world’s longest-running film franchises.
The oddsmakers — taking a cue from The Hollywood Reporter and others’ reporting — suggest Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are the favorites. Both have their apparent pros and cons.
Lowden has a very likable presence on Apple TV’s Slow Horses, where he plays MI5 agent River Cartwright. For years, the role has looked like an audition for Bond. All the things Bond does — drama, action, romance, stunts — are on display, even though Lowden’s character has a rather different low-key vibe than 007. He’s an everyman pick, and that’s a rather refreshing idea that would give Bond writers new notes to explore with the character.
Turner looks like he might have been grown in a lab to play Bond, which is the best thing about him as a choice, but also a potential detriment if producers want somebody who feels more original. He seems could be perfect for the part — handsome and suave and posh. Between him and Lowden, Turner would also likely win the sex appeal contest.
Reportedly in the mix are Jack O’Connell and Josh O’Connor — two actors with such similar names one wonders if sources leaking to the press got the two mixed up and only one of them is actually auditioning.
Regardless of who gets the part, there is a lot more to playing Bond than merely fighting and bantering and firing a Walther PPK.
There are qualities that many pundits on the sidelines might overlook, but Bond’s producers most assuredly will not: Bond may be a rogue character who plays by his own rules, but the actor cast in the role has to be the ultimate team player. Bond is a massive commitment that requires an actor to adhere to the highest professional standards for more than a decade. The actor may not always be playing Bond, but will forever be a Bond, and therefore must be counted upon to not embarrass the franchise.
This means the choice should be somebody who, for instance, isn’t going to sound off divisively about politics, get into messy domestic disputes or start going on public benders. More subtly, it means somebody who’s down to be an agreeable brand ambassador for the part, who will treat fans respectfully and gamely participate in the intense media circus which accompanies every Bond film.
They also have to, preferably, not be a jerk behind the scenes — missing on that one could make the typical nine-month production process for a Bond film much more difficult for all involved.
These things are true for any lead role in a movie, but they’re far more true for playing Bond due to the iconic importance of the character and expected four-or-five-film commitment.
The last thing Team Bond wants is a scandal like the one that befell Marvel after casting Jonathan Majors in a multi-film villain role. That was a mess, and resulted in an announced movie being scrapped. Yet Majors’ part was merely a villain amid an ensemble cast, not a lead who’s on camera in just about every scene.
Legendary Bond producer Cubby Broccoli once said casting George Lazenby for 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was “biggest mistake in 16 years.” Broccoli said the actor “just couldn’t deal with success. He was so arrogant.” Lazenby made just one Bond film before Sean Connery returned to the role. While Broccoli’s daughter, Barbara, who led the producing team on Bond until just last year, noted to Variety in 2022, “When we cast Bond, it’s a 10-, 12-year commitment … Not everybody wants to do that … It’s not just showing up for a couple of months of filming.”