Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
TheJames Bondfranchise is one of the longest-running film franchises in Hollywood. Starting with 1962’sDr. No, which starred Sean Connery as Agent 007, the films have spanned sixty years with six actors to date donning the mantle. The films are known for great action sequences, and Bond’s charm.
Playing the role of James Bond is a huge responsibility as the actor has to get everything, from his Casanova personality to the suave mannerisms right. Their off-screen persona must match the character as well. Hence, to ensure that he fit the part, the producers of the series reportedly sent a girl to Bond actor George Lazenby during his auditions, to make sure that he was not gay.
Also read:“It’s a tradition, apparently”: Daniel Craig Revealed Harrowing James Bond Audition That Has Remained Unchanged Since Sean Connery
James BondProducers Wanted to Confirm That George Lazenby Was Not Gay
Actors who play the role of James Bond are immortalized in the world due to the legacy of the character and the films. Many prominent actors are fans of the character and have expressed their desire to play him. Bond is a character that exhibits suave, sex appeal, and a lot of action as well. It would be a dream role for many.
Actor George Lazenby donned the suit in the filmOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service. He was the replacement forSean Connery, who left the role for the first time afterYou Only Live Twice. Lazenby only played the role in one film, making him the only actor playing James Bond to do so.
George Lazenby was a relatively unknown Australian model when James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli ran into him at a barbershop. He reportedly saw potential in the model and cast him as Connery’s replacement. Lazenby reportedly impressed Broccoli and director Peter R. Hunt when he accidentally punched a stunt coordinator during an audition.
Also read:“I haven’t got nice hair and I’m a bit fat”: Michael Gambon Rejected the Same $7.8B Role Every DC Fan Wants Henry Cavill to Get
Once they were convinced, however, the makers reportedly had one final test for Lazenby to make sure that he was the right man for the role. In the documentaryEverything Or Nothing: The Untold Story Of James Bond (via Daily Express), the actor revealed that the producers sent a girl to his apartment to test his sexuality,
“They sent a girl up to my apartment to make sure I wasn’t gay. A little while later they had their answer. I sure as hell wasn’t.”
After passing all the ridiculous tests, George Lazenby was finally cast as James Bond inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Also read:Not Sean Connery, James Bond Author Ian Fleming Considered Another Actor to be the Perfect 007 Agent Who Refused the Role
George Lazenby As James Bond
For George Lazenby, an unknown model at the time, playing the role of Agent 007 would have been a dream come true. The actor received training from some of the best in the business at the time. His lifestyle changed as well, as he became the guy who played 007. He revealed in the documentary,
“Suddenly I was James Bond and you’re able to imagine what that did to me. I don’t want to brag but I had at least one girl a day…There was a tent on set where the stuntmen used to keep the mattresses they fell on in fight scenes. It was a good place to take a chick if you were in a hurry.”
However, Lazenby left the role after his one-time appearance inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The actor claimed that the producers made him feel like a mindless actor without taking any of his suggestions or ideas. He announced that he would never be playing the character again and that he had put James Bond behind him. He said in a statement toThe Canberra Times,
“I much prefer being a car salesman to a stereotyped James Bond. My parents think I’m insane, everybody thinks I’m insane passing up maybe millions of pounds. Nobody believed me. They thought it was a publicity stunt. But it’s just me doing my own thing.”
Lazenby is often considered to be one of the weaker James Bonds in the franchise. Many considered him to be an unworthy replacement for Sean Connery. However, subsequent Bond actors have complimented Lazenby’s performance, and Connery himself reportedly called Lazenby’s performance noteworthy.
Also read:Sean Connery Changed His Mind About Retirement as James Bond After Studio Offered $500,000 More For His Return in $116 Million Worth Movie
Source:Everything Or Nothing: The Untold Story Of James Bond (via Daily Express),The Canberra Times
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2419
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
