Outlander star Sam Heughan has been a firm fan-favourite to play James Bond since Pierce Brosnan ended his stint as the secret agent following 2002's Die Another Day. Now, with Daniel Craig hanging up his holster as 007 after No Time to Die killed his Bond, there's renewed hope among the actor's fans that he might get another shot at the iconic role.
In his new memoir, Waypoints, Heughan confirms (via ActioNewz.com) he auditioned for 2006's Casino Royale, and says he was initially confident in his chances of starring in the reboot.
"I was invited to head up to the next floor, where producer Barbara Broccoli was waiting for me, like M, sitting in a leather chair across a large table," the actor recalled. "It was all just so cool and crowned by the fact that Barbara was charming and delightful. When I left, I half wondered whether I was about to be tested with a car chase home."
Heughan lost out on the role to Craig, and thinks he knows why. "The feedback I received boiled down to the fact that I wasn’t edgy enough by nature," he continues. "I’m always keen to take on criticism so I can improve as an actor, but the suggestion seemed to be that I lacked this quality in my real character."
Despite being understandably disappointed, Heughan acknowledges that Craig "made Bond his own." He also doesn't appear to have entirely given up hope!
Things worked out for the actor in different ways, of course, as Outlander has been a big success and recently concluded its sixth season. At 42, the Scot is likely too old to play 007 in the next movie, as franchise producers have already confirmed the plan is to find a younger actor who will be open to playing Bond for a long time.
Be sure to watch our interview with Heughan about his Bond-like role in SAS: Red Notice below: