Welsh actor Taron Egerton has said he does not want to play James Bond, claiming the opportunity would be “wasted” on him. The 35-year-old, known for his roles in the Kingsman spy films, told Collider that he believes he is not the right fit for the iconic franchise.
“I think I’m too messy for that. I think I’m not [the right fit] – I really love James Bond and particularly Daniel Craig’s tenure,” Egerton said. “But I think I wouldn’t be good at it, and I think there’s so many cool, younger actors who would be great for it. I think it would be wasted on me, probably.”
Egerton also expressed concerns about the role being restrictive. “As far as I’m aware, nobody’s asking me to do it,” he said. “But also, it’s possibly not quite the thing that would make me happiest. It kind of consumes your life, a role like that.”
Rumours continue to swirl about who will succeed Daniel Craig as 007, with Bullet Train star Aaron Taylor-Johnson reportedly the favourite. Other names in the mix include Idris Elba, Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, Harris Dickinson, and Timothée Chalamet. Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has been named as director of the upcoming Amazon-MGM production.
Craig announced his retirement from the franchise in 2019, bowing out with 2021’s No Time To Die. When asked by Variety which actor he would like to pass the torch to, Craig replied: “I don’t care.”
