Why Scottish Actor Was Not Chosen for James Bond in “007,” and It’s Very British

Last Updated on 10/26/2022 by てんしょく飯

Sam Heughan of “Outlander” has revealed why he was not selected for the role of James Bond, as told by the “007” production team.

Sam Heughan had applied for the role of James Bond.

Sam Heughan, known for his role as Jamie Fraser in the drama “Outlander,” is one of those who have been wondering who will be the next James Bond actor for the “007” movies, which have been a long time topic of discussion for the past few years. The first James Bond, Sean Connery, is very famous, and he was born in Scotland. No Scottish actor has been cast after him, but Sam, who is himself from Scotland, says, “I would love to see a Scottish Bond. I would be too old for that, though,” he tells US EW.

And Sam actually auditioned for the role of the sixth Bond. Why did he lose out to Daniel Craig?　In his autobiography “Waypoints: My Scottish Journey,” he reveals the reason why he was not selected by the production team.

I was born with no edge,” he said.

Bond and the “007” series, which have become global characters, are “royal” spy films, but the producers were looking for an actor who was sharp and edgy. The British spirit, which has produced UK punk and mods despite the presence of the British royal family, can be felt in this film.

Regarding the production team’s feedback, Sam said, “I was always eager to receive criticism because it helped me grow as an actor. But the feedback seemed to say that I didn’t have enough of that in my own character. I didn’t know how that would affect the role, but it was something I had no control over, and it was meant to be,” he believes.

Although he had no connection to Bond, he said he had created his work with that worldview in mind. The movie he starred in, “SAS: Black Swan in Rebellion,” was modeled on the character Andy McNab, a former British Special Forces officer, and Sam was aware of the worldview of 007.

As Sam mentioned, a younger actor is expected to be cast as the seventh Bond, so it is unlikely that the now 42-year-old will be the next Bond. However, we can see him in style in another film.