20 years ago, Bond executives were looking for an extremely young 007. The likely favourite proved to have the right instincts. Only now does he feel ready for the role.
The search for a successor to Daniel Craig is in full swing. In 2020, Craig said goodbye to 007 in No Time to Die. James Bond now needs a new actor again to breathe fresh life into the famous agent. Exactly 20 years ago, those responsible were at the same point: while casting for a new Bond, they came across Rupert Friend, who was last seen as the villain Grand Inquisitor in the Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi, for example.
At the time, the Bond owners around Barbara Broccoli were virtually buzzing about the blood-young Friend. In a recent interview with Variety, the actor explained why he did not want to play the role that would have changed his life.
“It probably irritated them”: Why Rupert Friend turned Bond down
In 2002, Pierce Brosnan had delivered his last Bond Die Another Day. Briton Rupert Friend was still attending acting school then. At the age of 22, shortly after his graduation in 2003 and his first cinema roles, he got the news: they wanted to talk to him about James Bond. The series was to be rebooted. This version of Bond would have just left college. Friend met with the Broccolis and the casting director at the time, Debbie McWilliams.
He was to do a test shot and if it went well he would sign a contract for three films. Friend was certainly not the only actor to go through this procedure, but he was at an advanced stage in Bond casting. Then he realised:
“I felt I was too young at this point in my life and career. I don’t have the experience, I don’t have the acting skills and I haven’t gone through the tough school of life. “
