Timothy Dalton Got Asked to Play James Bond in His 20s, but ‘I Said No… 24 or 25 Doesn’t Seem Right’ for 007 and ‘You Don’t Want to Follow Sean Connery’

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Back in my mid-20s, I, Timothy Dalton, had a chance encounter with the role of James Bond, but I respectfully declined the offer. You see, I felt that the character was too young at the time for my liking. Moreover, I wasn’t keen on following in the footsteps of the legendary Sean Connery, who wrapped up his initial stint as 007 with the film “Diamonds Are Forever” in 1971. The franchise producer, Albert Broccoli, approached me in the early ’70s to take over from Connery.

In his own words, Timothy Dalton shared that there was a point when Sean Connery was stepping down from the role, and instead of being given the opportunity, he was asked if he’d be interested in taking it on. He declined because, to him, a 24 or 25-year-old actor didn’t seem fitting for the character as it needed an older presence. While you could portray it at a younger age, Dalton felt that he might not fully convince audiences of his age appropriateness for the role.

When questioned about his decision to decline Bond’s role, Dalton simply said: “It wasn’t difficult at all. After all, following in Sean Connery’s footsteps, a man who was simply exceptional—someone I had admired since my teenage years, isn’t something one just takes lightly.”

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When asked if turning down Bond was a hard choice for him, Dalton replied: “Not really. You see, stepping into Sean Connery’s shoes, an actor I’d been watching and admiring since I was a teenager, wasn’t a decision to be made lightly.

Initially, Roger Moore stepped in for Connery’s role as James Bond, but Connery reprised his role once more in “Never Say Never Again” (1983) during Moore’s tenure. Moore portrayed Bond for the last time in 1985’s “A View to Kill.” It was then that Dalton was offered the opportunity to play Bond again, which he eventually did.

Dalton shared that he was performing “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Antony and Cleopatra” at the Haymarket Theatre in London’s West End. He wasn’t under pressure to succeed, but found himself pondering in a hotel room, “What on earth am I going to do about this?” Then he reasoned, “After all, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, isn’t it? Should I listen to common sense and pursue something else, or should I seize this unique chance and then do something else later? So I decided to go for it.

Dalton took on the character, yet something he consistently avoided discussing was Bond with fellow ‘007’ performers such as Connery, Moore, and Brosnan who followed him in the role.

Indeed, I have chatted with other Bond actors before, but our conversations never revolved around Bond,” Dalton explained. “I encountered Roger Moore in the French Riviera and he was charming. A genuinely warm, considerate, and generous individual. As for Sean Connery, surprisingly enough, I bumped into him in a restroom, but there was no recognition between us. After all, one maintains privacy in such places.

Dalton found it quite frustrating to talk about Bond with another Bond actor, as he put it. He jokingly said, “Could we discuss Bond?” to which the response was, “I’d rather not.

The actor portrayed Bond in two films, specifically “The Living Daylights” (1987) and “Licence to Kill” (1989). In an interview with Vanity Fair, he expressed no remorse about not participating in a third 007 movie, explaining: “I have some great friends from the Bond era, some truly wonderful individuals. But they seem to be caught up in it, confined by it in a sense. I never had any intention of doing more than three.

Dalton is currently promoting his character in “1923” Season 2, with interviews across various media outlets. Coincidentally, this second season premiered at a time when Amazon assumed creative authority over the James Bond series, previously handled by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson for a long period.

Dalton advised Vanity Fair, “All you need to do is express your hope that Amazon performs exceptionally.” He added, “It’s not appropriate to use any other phrases except for ‘good luck’ and ‘may it go well.’ Just learn from the best.

Previously, the actor expressed his surprise and shock about the news to the Radio Times. He further commented that Amazon is likely to strive for making substantial profits, implying that they might produce quality films in the process.

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2025-02-28 02:47