Daniel Craig recently retired as 007 last year. It has been noted that the fans have been busy dream casting the role with actors of all types. It has been further noted that the favorites to bag the role include LGBTQ actors like Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, singer Sam Smith, and Thor’s Tessa Thompson. However, Elba is not willing to grab the role of James Bond.
After only one film with a contract for six more, George Lazenby dramatically quit the James Bond franchise before On Her Majesty’s Secret Service had even hit cinemas. Even more perplexing is the undeniable fact that the movie was a huge hit, pulling in $82million on a $7million budget, and Lazenby’s textured interactions with Diana Rigg’s Tracy di Vicenzo were years ahead of the secret agent’s standard relationship with his Bond Girls. His reasons at the time for abruptly walking away were rather confusing – and enraged or bewildered those around him – but these days the actor has made his peace with them.
When Connery told the producers he was quitting after You Only Live Twice, Broccoli’s attention was caught by the model who was starring in the Fry’s chocolate Big Fry TV advert.
Lazenby was called in to audition and spent all his savings on a Rolex watch and a Saville Row suit that had actually been made for Connery but never collected. When he landed the role, the director Peter R Hunt said[ via Express]: “We wanted someone who oozed sexual assurance, and we think this fellow has that. Just wait til the women see him on screen … I am not saying he is an actor. There is a great deal of difference between an actor and a film star.”
The news was announced before the film was even released in December 1969 that Lazenby had quit, and not just over that dodgy lace cravatte. He called the role and the Bond films outdated and claimed he was treated badly by the producers, but admitted:
“My parents think I’m insane, everybody thinks I’m insane.”
