Posted on 08/17/2005 10:56:03 AM PDT by Republican Red
NEW YORK - A single, surprising phone call and it was over. That's how Pierce Brosnan says he learned that his services as James Bond would no longer be required.
"One phone call, that's all it took!" the 52-year-old actor tells Entertainment Weekly magazine in its Aug. 19 issue.
Brosnan starred in four Bond films. He says that before they stopped negotiations, the producers had invited him back for a fifth time.
"You know, the movie career for me really started with Bond," says Brosnan, acknowledging that by the time "GoldenEye" premiered in 1995, he was already 42.
He then starred as 007 in "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), "The World Is Not Enough" (1999) and "Die Another Day" (2002).
His departure from the role was a "titanic jolt to the system," says Brosnan, followed by "a great sense of calm."
"I thought. ... I can do anything I want to do now. I'm not beholden to them or anyone. I'm not shackled by some contracted image. So there was a sense of liberation."
Brosnan says he's grateful to have had the role, but adds: "It never felt real to me. I never felt I had complete ownership over Bond. Because you'd have these stupid one-liners — which I loathed — and I always felt phony doing them."
He plays a foulmouthed, skirt-chasing hit man in the upcoming film "The Matador."
"(For this) to come on the heels of my departure from the world of Bond is sweet grace, to play this one as a farewell to that chapter in time — it certainly wasn't planned."
Silly when you think about it. Here's this Bond guy who has been going in the movies since 1962, in books since about 1954. But he's not allowed to get much over 50.
It's going to be interesting to see what direction the Bond movies take. I always liked how they superficially followed the politics of the day...whether it was the Cold War or even terrorism. Will they have the courage to follow the politics of today.
IMHO, Connery in Dr. No was unwatchable. However, Ursula...
Yes, he was the second-best.
Britain is about 2.5% muslim, split about 50/50 Kurds and Pakistani. America is marginally less muslim (2.1%?: I have no idea what the split would be.
There was an interesting theory floating around in the early stages of Die Another Day in which "James Bond" was just a moniker bestowed upon the best agent at the time. I actually thought this would have been a great idea.
"Because you'd have these stupid one-liners — which I loathed — and I always felt phony doing them."
Typical Hollywood hypocrite. He sure didn't mind taking the big money but now that he's out he has nothing good to say about the role that, according to him, started his movie career. Now we know the truth. He hated being Bond. Another movie star who fancies himself an actor. And he's been hinting that he wanted out. Why shouldn't they show him the door?
We thought Christian Bale was great as Batman. I'm sure he'd like to do a part using his own voice. We've seen him in so many American roles, my husband didn't know he was British.
Having Clive Owen cast as 007 may sway me to watch the Bond movies again....Clive just smoulders!!!
That is really strange as I think Dr. No was the best one ever. I never could appreciate Ursula Andress. She was pretty in the face but had an almost flat rear. The prettiest one of all was the one who got painted gold in "Goldfinger".
You're up!
It would be great if Bond took Abu "Hook" Hate-Speech Hamza and dropped him into a volcano just before the starting credits.
Yep.
I turn 40 on Friday.
Alz is hitting early.
After watching the Jason Borne films I'm convinced it's time to throw away the Bond "formula" and do something fresh with the franchise. Perhaps that means throwing away continuity. Perhaps it means starting over with Casino Royale and staying true to the books, including playing them as "period" films set in the 50's and 60's.
I was really eager to see the last film when I heard Bond would be captured by North Koreans. I thought it would be s departure from the "safe" Bond movies. What a letdown. Die Another Day is down there with The Man with the Golden Gun.
Sean Connery was Bond. Tim Dalton could have been great, if only they had given him a decent story. Lazenby is underrated, and should have stuck around for more films. Brosnan was good, but by the time he was Bond I felt like I've seen all of this over and over. I never took Roger Moore seriously as Bond.
He got letters from his buddy in England who descibed his girl friend as that Pakistani Bird. She was in reality a blond from Georgia.
Glad to seem that somebody else recognizes Dalton's contributions.
License To Kill was the darkest Bond film, and they should have taken it from there. Less witty clips, less CGI animation and more realistic and pertinent violence.
Remember Bond in "Dr. No";
"You've had your six."
And he shoots the guy in cold blood.
Moonraker started out well, then quickly degenerated into a Roadrunner cartoon.
BTW, if you are looking for a "true to life" Bond the most direct desciption of Bond's appearence by Ian Fleming is in Casino Royale, when Vesper Lynd says of Bond, "He reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless."
http://advancing.indiana.edu/img/content/carmichael.jpg
http://www.indianahistory.org/historymarket/store/media/Hoagy_Carmichael_easy_piano_book.jpg
IMO of current generation actors Rupert Everett would problably be the best Bond, but I doubt that audiences are anywhere near ready for an openly gay actor in the role.
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