While some actors are clamoring to land the role of leading man in the iconic “007” franchise, one Golden Globe winner is taking himself out of the running early.
Taron Egerton, star of the Elton John biopic “Rocketman,” said in a new interview with Collider that he doesn’t think he’s a “good choice” for James Bond.
“I think I’m too messy for that ... I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig’s tenure,” he said in the interview, published Tuesday. “But I think I wouldn’t be good at it, and I think there’s so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably.”
He described the role as “quite an undertaking” and also shared that “nobody’s asked me to do it.”
“But also, it’s possibly not quite the thing that would make me happiest,” Egerton added. “I do think it’s a big old undertaking, it kind of consumes your life, a role like that.”
Daniel Craig, who portrayed the British secret agent from 2006 to 2021, would agree with Egerton’s take.
The actor said in 2024 that he “loved every second” of being Bond, but admitted “some of it was tough and weird and strange and emotionally kind of difficult for everybody, including my family.”
He shared some candid advice for whoever takes on the role next, admitting the actor has to “grab it and make it your own.”
“I think that’s the way to go forward,” Craig told actor Kevin Hart on his SiriusXM show, “Straight From the Hart,” in 2021.
“I hope I’ve left it in a good place and I hope the next person can just make it fly,” he said, adding that he’ll be extremely supportive of whoever nabs the coveted role next.
“Whoever it is, you know what, they’ll find someone brilliant and it’ll be great,” Craig shared. “And I’ll be front and center. I’ll be at the front seat of a cinema with my popcorn and a drink because I can’t wait.”