An unexpected aspirant throws their hat in the ring for the next James Bond role. Agent 007‘s role has almost exclusively been reserved for established actors but that could change if Amazon MGM Studios decides to go with the unexpected choice.
What unexpected name has entered the James Bond casting conversation?
Professional soccer player Jude Bellingham has expressed his desire to play James Bond. Speaking with James Corden on After Hours, Bellingham said that when he’s asked what he would like to do outside of playing football, his answer is starring in movies. The athlete followed it up by saying that he would “love” to play James Bond.
“I’d love to be James Bond,” said Bellingham. “I’ve watched all of them. I’ve watched the Connery ones, Roger Moore, I’ve seen all of them. I love James Bond. I’d love to be in the back of a James Bond film.” Upon hearing this, Corden urged Bellingham to push for the lead role should the opportunity ever arise. He even suggested Bellingham treat the interview as an audition for playing Bond.
The midfielder then delivers the iconic line to the camera, “The name’s Bond. James Bond.” Bellingham and Corden then re-enacted a pivotal scene from A Few Good Men.
While it’s unlikely that Bellingham would be cast as the next Bond, he wouldn’t be the first non-actor in the role. 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service famously cast George Lazenby as the British spy in his first starring role in a feature film. Bellingham has not appeared in any scripted films, but he does have experience appearing as himself in documentaries.
Regardless, several actors have been reported as Amazon’s top picks for the next Bond, including Louis Partridge, Jacob Elordi, and more. Most recently, Marvel star Paul Bettany revealed an anecdote about never being approached for the role. The most recent development revealed that director Denis Villeneuve will move on to a new round of auditions for contenders later this year.
