Why James Bond Is Never Young, According To 007's Casting Director

When Sean Connery first played James Bond in 1962's "Dr. No," he was 32 years old. Bond was already an adult and an established spy with a well-honed skill set and relationships within MI6. In 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," 007 actor George Lazenby was 30. Roger Moore, older than Connery, was already 46 in "Live and Let Die," while Timothy Dalton was 41 in "The Living Daylights." Similarly, Pierce Brosnan was 42 when he debuted as Bond in "GoldenEye," whereas Daniel Craig was 38 when he played a "younger" Bond in "Casino Royale."

Lazenby and Connery, really, are the outliers in the Bond canon in that they were both so young when they started. As of this writing, the net has been cast to find Craig's replacement in the next Bond reboot. Amazon has purchased the film rights to the Bond character, and it's preparing to make a new movie as soon as time allows. Dozens of potential actors have been floated by fans to play the next Bond, ranging from Idris Elba to Tom Holland. Elba, if cast, would be the oldest actor to debut as James Bond (at least in the Eon Pictures canon). Holland, who's currently only 29, would be the youngest.

It's possible, however, that Bond will never be played by someone who's 32 or younger ever again. Debbie McWilliams, a former casting director for the Bond movies, spoke with the Radio Times about the gentleness of her profession, including why finding the right Bond is such a careful task. She noted, quite significantly, that Bond will almost certainly never be played by a young actor. It is not, she remarked, a role for a 22-year-old. Younger actors lack, in her words, the "gravitas" to do Bond justice.

McWilliams, it should be noted, has been selecting actors for James Bond movies since 1981, back when Moore was still playing the role. She, more than anyone, knows what a careful balancing act it is to find a proper Bond actor. Some actors, in retrospect, seem like no-brainers. Brosnan, for instance, remains the perfect James Bond. (Yeah, I said it.)

In 2006, when she was looking for Brosnan's replacement, however, several actors came through the audition room before she settled on Craig. McWilliams recalled seeing multiple actors in their 20s, but none of them were correct. It seems that playing Bond simply isn't a young man's game. It was especially difficult to find Craig, as the vision of this new Bond was that he was to be younger and more impulsive than the Bonds of the past. As she put it: 

"When we started, it was a slightly different feel. [...] We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don't think they had the gravitas, they didn't have the experience, they didn't have the mental capacity to take it on, because it's not just the part they're taking on, it's a massive responsibility. So, we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again."

The "mental responsibility" likely refers to the back-breaking, extensive press tours that any Bond actor has to undergo for every outing. An actor can't just be right for the role of 007. They also have to be able to withstand a great deal of public scrutiny as well. If an actor can handle weeks of interviews, photo spreads, and a lack of privacy, then they may be perfect.