I’ve been thinking more about the question of whether the next Bond should be played by a known actor, and I’ve realised that something else in my thinking has changed.
I’ve been arguing against the idea of casting an unknown for a while now. Historically, though, part of my preference for an actor without much baggage came from the fact that, for the first five actors I saw as Bond, Bond was the role I knew them from first. They were Bond to me before they were anything else. Craig was different, because I’d already seen him in several films and had actually sought out Layer Cake specifically because of his performance.
But the more films I watch, the more familiar faces I see turning up, and the less this bothers me. It would be wonderful if every actor were Gary Oldman and could completely disappear into every character they play, but that’s simply not how most actors work.
The revelation I’ve had is that I’m actually becoming much more comfortable with seeing the actor playing the character. I may have seen them play completely different characters before, and that’s OK. I don’t necessarily need to forget that I’m watching [actor’s name]. I just need to believe that, in this particular film, they’re James Bond.
I think that’s a subtle distinction, but it’s changed how I look at casting. I’m no longer worrying about whether an actor has too much of an existing identity for me to accept them as Bond. I’m more interested in whether they can bring the qualities I want to the role and make me believe in their interpretation of the character.
And I think there’s another reason why an established actor makes sense. We’re living in a much more uncertain time when it comes to box office performance. The IP alone isn’t necessarily enough to carry a franchise anymore. A proven lead, surrounded by a credible supporting cast, gives an audience something else to trust.
Bond doesn’t necessarily need an unknown actor who can become Bond in the public imagination. He may benefit from an actor who already has an audience, has demonstrated that they can carry a film, and is ready to take on the role.
Perhaps the ideal isn’t an actor I don’t recognise. Perhaps it’s an actor I recognise, but can still believe as Bond.
