Speculation over who would next take over the role has reached a fever pitch in the five years since the last James Bond movie aired, with Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi and even Robert Irwin landing front and centre in these convos.
Though now retired, Bond franchise long-term casting director Debbie McWilliam has given her two cents on the rumoured contenders for the titular role and, well, it seems our homegrown hero Elordi may not be taking out top spot.
McWilliams served as casting director for 40 years and worked across 13 Bond films, from 1981’s For Your Eyes Only to 2021’s No Time to Die. She was responsible for casting three major 007s: Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and our modern-day, Daniel Craig.
Speaking to The Independent, McWilliams explained what she looks for in a Bond and it’s not a 6’7″ boy from Brissie. Rather, it needs to be “somebody who is completely out of the blue”.
When asked about social media’s front runners, McWilliams didn’t mince her words, saying, “I don’t want to see any of them as Bond because we now know so much about them.”
A tough pill to swallow if you’re famous for your airport run with Kendall Jenner or just had your wedding in Vogue.
McWilliams went on to explain, “We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives. We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description.”
“He’s licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don’t, then you’ve lost the audience.”
McWilliams has been succeeded by casting director Nina Gold, who has notably won Emmys for her casting of Game of Thrones, The Crown and Baby Reindeer. According to Deadline reporting, Gold may be using a different technique than her predecessor, prioritising actors who have appeared in London’s West End.
So what does this mean for our Aussie hottie and Dua Lipa’s beau? Well, auditions are still well underway and though nothing’s been ruled out, if we’re to believe McWilliams, our next 007 won’t be an A-lister but someone unknown.
TBH that only makes me want them more.
Lead image source: Getty
The post James Bond Casting Director Has Spilled On What It Takes To Be 007 & Elordi’s In Trouble appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
