McGregor was ‘choice’ as 007
Moonraker 5
Ayrshire, ScotlandPosts: 1,821MI6 Agent
OK... This one perhaps has the potential to be explosive, but let's not get too heated about it...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2416258.html
McGregor was ‘choice’ as 007
Brian Pendreigh
The Sunday Times October 22, 2006
THE selection process to choose the new James Bond was so secretive that even Q — the fictional head of the British secret service — would have been proud.
Now its cover has been blown with the revelation that Ewan McGregor, the prolific Scottish actor, was the first choice of producers to replace Pierce Brosnan as 007.
The role eventually went to Daniel Craig, the English actor whose craggy, careworn features are believed by some traditionalists to clash with the character’s smooth image.
The Perthshire-born star of Trainspotting and Star Wars turned down the offer because he feared he would be typecast and was concerned about committing to another series of films following his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In a blow to Craig, Martin Campbell, director of the latest Bond film Casino Royale, has admitted that he “wasn’t totally convinced” that the English actor would be a match for his predecessors, including Sir Sean Connery.
Campbell, who also directed GoldenEye and the Zorro movies, claims McGregor was approached early in the long search to replace Brosnan.
At the time it was rumoured that the actor had been given a screen test. However, he refused to be drawn. “I think he got another job or decided he didn’t want to do it,” Campbell said.
Instead, McGregor, 35, has chosen an eclectic mix of projects. While Craig was filming Casino Royale, McGregor was playing Norman Warne, the tragic suitor of Beatrix Potter in Miss Potter, a biopic of the children’s author starring Renée Zellweger.
McGregor is currently in New York filming The Tourist, a psychological thriller in which he plays an accountant who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after being lured into a sex club.
Despite the Bond role being one of the most glamorous and lucrative in the film industry, insiders said they were not surprised that McGregor turned down the offer to play 007.
Even Connery, arguably the best-loved Bond, who endorsed McGregor as a future Bond, urged caution, describing the role as a “poison chalice”.
One film industry source, who asked not to be named, said: “I think he’s got a greater range than being stuck in that role, which he would be for quite some time.”
Though McGregor said in one interview last year that playing Bond might be “fun”, he said he would worry about the extent of the commitment.
“With Star Wars, we did a three-month shoot and a couple of weeks of pick-ups so it wasn’t an enormous involvement. But with Bond, I suppose it’s a much longer shoot and there’s a massive amount of publicity,” he said. “I would worry about not being able to do any other work.”
The deal with Craig, who starred in Layer Cake and The Jacket, was announced last October. It is understood that the multi-million-pound agreement is for three films.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2416258.html
McGregor was ‘choice’ as 007
Brian Pendreigh
The Sunday Times October 22, 2006
THE selection process to choose the new James Bond was so secretive that even Q — the fictional head of the British secret service — would have been proud.
Now its cover has been blown with the revelation that Ewan McGregor, the prolific Scottish actor, was the first choice of producers to replace Pierce Brosnan as 007.
The role eventually went to Daniel Craig, the English actor whose craggy, careworn features are believed by some traditionalists to clash with the character’s smooth image.
The Perthshire-born star of Trainspotting and Star Wars turned down the offer because he feared he would be typecast and was concerned about committing to another series of films following his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In a blow to Craig, Martin Campbell, director of the latest Bond film Casino Royale, has admitted that he “wasn’t totally convinced” that the English actor would be a match for his predecessors, including Sir Sean Connery.
Campbell, who also directed GoldenEye and the Zorro movies, claims McGregor was approached early in the long search to replace Brosnan.
At the time it was rumoured that the actor had been given a screen test. However, he refused to be drawn. “I think he got another job or decided he didn’t want to do it,” Campbell said.
Instead, McGregor, 35, has chosen an eclectic mix of projects. While Craig was filming Casino Royale, McGregor was playing Norman Warne, the tragic suitor of Beatrix Potter in Miss Potter, a biopic of the children’s author starring Renée Zellweger.
McGregor is currently in New York filming The Tourist, a psychological thriller in which he plays an accountant who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after being lured into a sex club.
Despite the Bond role being one of the most glamorous and lucrative in the film industry, insiders said they were not surprised that McGregor turned down the offer to play 007.
Even Connery, arguably the best-loved Bond, who endorsed McGregor as a future Bond, urged caution, describing the role as a “poison chalice”.
One film industry source, who asked not to be named, said: “I think he’s got a greater range than being stuck in that role, which he would be for quite some time.”
Though McGregor said in one interview last year that playing Bond might be “fun”, he said he would worry about the extent of the commitment.
“With Star Wars, we did a three-month shoot and a couple of weeks of pick-ups so it wasn’t an enormous involvement. But with Bond, I suppose it’s a much longer shoot and there’s a massive amount of publicity,” he said. “I would worry about not being able to do any other work.”
The deal with Craig, who starred in Layer Cake and The Jacket, was announced last October. It is understood that the multi-million-pound agreement is for three films.
Comments
I hope the reporter is more knowledgeable about the Bond selection process than he is about the Bond universe (Q the head of the British Secret Service?); but assuming he is, it's water under the bridge, as far as I'm concerned. An irrelevant historical curiosity and nothing more. I've never really understood the importance some people attach to the "first choice," as if a "first choice" is synonymous with the "best" choice. After all, Ronald Reagan was the "first choice" for Rick Blaine in "Casablanca." The guy who wound up playing the role did OK.
And it sounds like McGregor was the choice very, very early on, when CR was still envisioned as a typical Bond film. A blogger on another site notes that Craig didn't become Campbell's choice for Bond until after the rewrite and quotes a Premiere article:
‘I wasn’t totally convinced about Daniel… it was when Paul Haggis came on to do the rewrite that it all fell into place. It became a more serious Bond, a more realistic Bond. Much more like the books. And then of course Daniel fits perfectly.’ - Martin Campbell
But I'm sure I would have gotten used to McGregor as Bond. I might not have like the old script, however, which would have sunk Bond 21 for me regardless of who played the role.
Connery wasn't even first choice for Dr No, but thankfully the producers went past their first selection of actors and it turned out well for all of us. McGregor may have made a good Bond, but in three weeks time we will see if Craig is a good Bond.
I can't quite picture him doing it, but I'm sure he would have been very capable and I would have got used to it. He's not quite as all-man as Craig; being a bit more boyish, but I'm sure he would have done very well.
OT: but- ouch. That must smart old Purvis and Wade a bit- long before Haggis came onboard they said that's exactly what they were aiming for with their original CR script. Final famous line and all.
Yeh, look this is interesting, but at the end of the day, I'm more focused on the future than on the 'what coulda been.' Would I rather McGregor play Bond than Craig? Absolutely, but there are alot of actors I would rather play Bond than Craig. But really, it's done. Craig is Bond and I have to accept that, even though I think McGregor could have been a great Bond.
Personally, I always preferred Pierce Brosnan or Hugh Jackman for Casino Royale, but that's water under the bridge now. Ewan McGregor is a fine actor, he might have made a good or even great Bond, but we will never know that for sure now.
So do I, really. McGregor is a really good actor (and is into classic British motorcycles, too, I gather) and would have done justice to whatever the material was that was put in front of him. I'm very happy with Craig and think he will be great, but let's face it, there are dozens of actors both known and unknown who could play the part, and one's probably as good as another. I think we all may be putting too much emphasis on the actor. It's the script that really counts. Without a good story, there's simply no movie.
All discussions of 'what might have been' are an interesting academic exercise, but I'm much more focused on what will be.
:007)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Agreed. He'd have been certainly more acceptable for me.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
he is a good actor
definitely better than Legolas, now theres a nonacting prettyboy who woulda stunk up the film
I say acting chops are more important than looks
I actually prefer Craig over McGregor. In the mid-80's I was glad to see Dalton get the role over Brosnan because (for me) Dalton was a fresh face. I was able to see him as Bond moreso than Pierce. The same goes for McGregor in my eyes. If Ewan was in CR, I'd be looking at the screen and seeing more Ewan McGregor or Obi-Wan Kenobi than Bond. That's one problem I won't have to deal with when watching Craig.
Jedi mind trick: "You will lose this hand, Le Chiffre and you will start a new way of life."
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Oh I wouldn't blame him for a poor performance in Star Wars; no-one came out of that looking good because of a director who simply wasn't there. Perhaps Liam Neeson at a push.
Honestly, for Casino Royale I think you're right. When people were talking about him for Bond I was wary at the time because he's not spot on for FilmBond; but for the new Fleming/FilmBond I think he'd have been great. Acts well, looks like Flemimg's Bond, is young enough for the idea of a fresh Bond etc.
But I'm very happy with what I've seen of Craig so far- I think he can more than do it too.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
He looks good there; very Bondian, but the fact that he's not much larger in frame than Ms. Zellweger herself is slightly problematic to me :v
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I think he could be a brilliant Bond. One quibble; do you think he's just a little too polished?
Let's say it together; 'Craig is Bond. Craig is Bond. Craig is Bond.'
Mcgregor wasn't my ideal for the exact reasons you've stated. As a UK resident I have the same problem with Craig. He's a relatively new face outside of Britain but to me he's that gloomy actor who has been on my television screen for a decade. I think Craig looks bugger all like a James Bond (that's my main grumble) but my familiarity with him and his tedious lottery funded back-catalogue is the other reason I find him such a 'blah' choice.
Someone like Alex O'Lachlan (who looks like a James Bond) would have been a completely new face to me and I wouldn't have anything else to associate him with. I feel like I've had this conversation about three-hundred times now
Ewan McGregor : 5' 10½"
Daniel Craig: 5' 11"
Really the only statural difference, Loeff, is a really good physical trainer...which Craig has. :v
Although it's neither-here nor- there, just wanted to show that the near decision to cast Ewan would have been just as plausible as what we have cast now.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'm not discussing that second fellow you mentioned; I'm merely remarking about the picture you posted
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Yes, when I saw that film I, like most Bond fans I'm sure, tried to picture him as Bond. I just couldn't quite see it; and the hair dye is awful- I'd much prefer him to do it au natural.
I wonder if they considered Damien Lewis- he's always seemed quite suitable for the part to me, and he's even more ginger than MacGregor!
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'll have a Jawa Juice, shaken not stirred. -{
Seriously, I've always liked Ewan McGregor and I think he could have done a good job as Bond. I saw The Island the other night and thought he handled himself quite well in the action scenes.
I found the title article of this thread a little surprising though as I could have sworn McGregor had publicly stated he would have loved to take on the role; maybe he had a change of heart when it actually came time to make a commitment.