Aaron Taylor-Johnson has arrived at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival sporting a dramatically different appearance, fuelling further speculation about his potential casting as the next James Bond. The 35-year-old actor was spotted at Venice airport on Friday with a bushier beard and longer hair than usual, wearing a white shirt, tan denim jacket, black trousers, white baseball cap and sunglasses as he attempted to travel incognito.
According to WWD, Taylor-Johnson is attending the festival as a long-standing Giorgio Armani ambassador to take part in the Armani Cinema Club, a new event series celebrating art, fashion and film. He will join fellow ambassadors Cate Blanchett and Sadie Sink during the festival.
The actor's rugged transformation is reportedly for his upcoming role in Werwulf, a collaboration with Nosferatu director Robert Eggers. The film, set in 13th-century England, also stars Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe, and is scheduled for release on Christmas Day 2025. Eggers has described it as his 'darkest' film yet.
Taylor-Johnson has long been a frontrunner to play MI6 agent 007, though he has played down the rumours. Speaking to Esquire, he said: 'It's not really for me to say anything.' His wife, director Sam Taylor-Johnson, told The Jonathan Ross Show: 'Carry on speculating. He'd be great,' adding jokingly: 'You mean that I might direct a Bond film? The first woman director.'
Former Bond star Pierce Brosnan has also endorsed Taylor-Johnson. Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's The Ray D'Arcy Show, Brosnan recalled working with him on the 2009 film The Greatest: 'I think the man has the chops and the talent and the charisma to play Bond, very much so. He was the greatest in it. So, yes, I would definitely tip my hat to the fellow.' Brosnan later repeated his support on The Jonathan Ross Show, saying: 'He would make a very fine Bond. He just had this charisma; he had this presence… he would be good.'
