Although usually named "James Bond" connected six actors, in fact the role of agent 007 have taken on a few slightly more people than most people think. The last Bond movieNo time to die" fast approaching its April release date, which will be the 25th film starring the world's most famous super spy. Starring Daniel Craig, his fourth time as 007, No Time To Die is a sequel to the events of 007 Specter, in which Bond apparently leaves MI6 to run away with his love.
In honor of the release of the 25th part of the James Bond film, we have prepared a list of all the actors who played agent 007since the very first movie!
Barry Nelson - 1954
If this name sounds unfamiliar to you, you are not alone. Although Sean Connery is the actor most often credited with playing James Bond, he actually transitioned into the signature tuxedo eight years after Barry Nelson, the first person to play James Bond on screen. If that's not enough, here's another surprise: Nelson was an American. That's right - the first person to play the famous British spy James Bond was actually an American actor. Nelson starred in an episode of the anthology television series Climax! based on Ian Fleming's novel Casino Royale. However, Nelson never came out, continuing the role beyond a single episode, and the James Bond story wasn't brought up until 1962.
Sean Connery - 1962-1967, 1971 and 1983.
Sean Connery was the first (and arguably most iconic) actor to play 007, starting his ten-year career as James Bond in the 1962 film Dr. No. Initially, Connery was not considered "cool" or "suave" enough to play Bond, and even Ian Fleming himself had doubts about this, whose casting for Bond was more like studio proposals such as Cary Grant. However, Connery's sex appeal and charm eventually landed him the role, and he went on to immortalize the character in Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds forever" and "Never say never".
Bob Simmons - 1962-1964
Another name that may not be familiar to many readers, Bob Simmons portrayed James Bond in the same films as Sean Connery, only much more briefly. Simmons was Connery's stunt double and was used during filming of the iconic gun barrel sequence. Currently, the actor who plays Bond also portrays him in the gun barrel sequence, but since the episode was designed to only show Bond in profile, it was not necessary to use Connery himself in the scene. While this may be more of a formality than anything, Simmons can still add his name to the small list of people who have played Bond.
David Niven - 1967
While modern audiences may be more familiar with Casino Royale as a tense 2006 thriller starring Daniel Craig as 007, there was also an adaptation of the 60s novel with a decidedly less serious approach. David Niven played James Bond in 1967's Casino Royale, one of the few non-Eon Bond films. The film itself is about a retired James Bond and is more of a goofy spoof than the film that modern audiences traditionally associate with the franchise. Despite the film's strange tone and poor critical reception, writer Ian Fleming thought Niven was the perfect actor for the role of Bond, so his performance as the iconic spy was not a complete failure.
George Lazenby - 1969
After Sean Connery left the role in 1967 (only to convince him to return in later years), one film was made, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, starring George Lazenby. Lazenby left the role before the film was released, although he received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. Despite the nomination and the positive critical response the film received, Lazenby would never star in another Bond film, making him the shortest-tenured actor of the Big Six.
Roger Moore - 1972-1985
Once again bypassing the episodic participation of Sean Connery in the franchise, the next actor who will play James Bond will be Roger Moore. Moore played Bond in seven films - Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and A View to a Kill. . Moore was recognized for his extensive television work and offered the role when Connery could not be persuaded to return to the role. Moore was among those considered to be in Her Majesty's Secret Service, but unlike Lazenby (who ended up playing Bond in this film), Moore appeared in several successful films as 007. Moore, in particular, was also the first actor from England, who played James Bond in Aeon, Connery is a Scot and Lazenby is an Australian.
Timothy Dalton - 1986-1994
Moore eventually resigned as Bond, admitting that he was too old for the role, and gave the role to Timothy Dalton. Dalton had been considered for the role years earlier, but was considered too young at the time to accurately portray the superspy. However, he won the role from Jurassic Park's Sam Neill and learned by reading several Fleming novels before he first appeared as Bond in the 1986 film Living Lights. After his performance received mixed reviews and his films struggled to achieve the same box office success as Moore's, Dalton left the role after only appearing in two films.
Pierce Brosnan 1995-2002
After the legal battle that halted Dalton's last Bond films, Pierce Brosnan stepped into the role. Brosnan's Bond epitomized what many associated with the character - his good looks and charm made him a believable international playboy rather than a hardened killer like Dalton's portrayal. While he retained many of the traditional aspects of the character, Brosnan gave up his smoking habit due to strong personal beliefs. Brosnan has starred in four successful films - GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die But Not Now before walking away from the role.
Daniel Craig 2006-2021
Finally, today's James Bond. After Brosnan's departure, Daniel Craig took to the stage in 2005 impressed by the Casino Royale script. Unsurprisingly, the dark, gritty take on the classic novel caught Craig's attention - his interpretation of the character is less of a ladies' man and more of a cold-blooded killer.
Craig has starred in four films - Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Specter. Despite the fact that he once claimed in an interview that he would never return to the role, but something happened and now the 5th film with his participation is coming out, No time to die - October 8, 2021. This time, for sure, the last one with his participation.
Soon it will be possible to supplement the article with another agent 007.
