While Daniel Craig’s successor has not yet been found, casting director Debbie Williams gives some information on the future 007.
While the face of the next James Bond remains a mystery, a casting director familiar with the franchise is giving some clues as to what fans can expect. Debbie McWilliams, who has worked for the saga for forty years, explained to Radio Times that Daniel Craig’s successor will not have to have an unusual physique, just like the other James Bonds before him:
“He has to look like a normal guy – it can’t be Dwayne Johnson,” she explains, citing the example of the six-foot-high all-muscular colossus, former wrestling star turned Hollywood star.
“James Bond must be in very good physical shape,” she concedes. “(This role) requires a very high level of fitness. But he must never stand out, in any situation.”
According to ITVwho reports his remarks, Debbie McWilliams works for the castings of the films James Bond since 1981. The actor who interprets this British spy is regularly renewed since the first part (James Bond vs. Dr. No1962) and she participated in the choice of the last three: Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, who bowed out in 2021.
“No ideal mould”
“You have to take a lot of things into account” when choosing the interpreter of James Bond, she explains. The lucky winner must be “a brilliant actor”:
“There really isn’t an ideal mould. There can’t be and there shouldn’t be, because it would get boring. It’s about finding the right person to do that job and that can to be someone one year and then someone else the next year. You can’t really predict.”
The final decision on the new actor will come down to Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the co-producers of the saga. And that choice may be slow to come to light, as Debbie McWilliams suggests:
“At the moment, there is no ongoing discussion about it. Barbara Broccoli is very busy with other projects. It is not uncommon for a long period to pass between two different James Bonds. It there’s already been a five-year gap.”
And to remember that the choice could fall on an unknown actor, as was almost always the case in the past.
“Younger actors don’t work”
Several names have often been mentioned regarding the future agent 007. In particular those of Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy or Idris Elba – although this last possibility seems to be moving away.
A few weeks ago, Michael G. Wilson confided in Deadline on this future actor, explaining why he couldn’t be under 30:
“We’ve tried looking for younger actors in the past, but it doesn’t work. Bond is already a veteran. He’s got experience…He’s not a kid out of high school.”
