James Bond villain Jonathan Pryce says Aaron Taylor-Johnson would make great 007
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Sir Jonathan Pryce has said his former co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson would make “a great” James Bond.
The 76-year-old Welsh actor starred as Bond villain Elliot Carver, a media mogul, opposite Pierce Brosnan’s 007 in the film Tomorrow Never Dies.
He also played the title character in the BBC drama Sherlock Holmes And The Baker Street Irregulars opposite Taylor-Johnson, who has been the subject of reports that he is considering whether to be the next Bond.
Sir Jonathan told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that he worked with the English actor, 33, who starred in Nowhere Boy, when he was a teenager and has watched him develop as an actor.
He added: “It’s interesting to bring talk about Bond because even at that age, he was quite the ladies’ man.”
The Sun reported that Eon Productions, which has made most of the films in the series adapted from Ian Fleming’s novels, has offered Taylor-Johnson the main role and claimed that new production will start filming later this year.
Sir Jonathan also said: “He’s (Taylor-Johnson) grown into a wonderful actor and when he was a little younger, he did this extraordinary sort of action film (Kick-Ass) where he played a superhero.
“And he’s great, look at him now, he’s black tie, handsome and yeah, he’d be a great Bond.”
Taylor-Johnson, who has just finished Spider-Man villain movie Kraven The Hunter, playing the title character, has two daughters with wife and Nowhere Boy director Sam Taylor-Johnson.
Previously, Young Bond series author Charlie Higson has rubbished the idea of a “frontrunner” for 007 being the person who ends up playing them.
He told the PA news agency in May 2023 that if an actor is talked about as “being considered” as the next 007 “you know that they’ve been rejected”.
Higson also said that Eon Productions “really surprise people”, especially when they cast the previous Bond, Daniel Craig, in the main role.
Craig made his exit in 2021’s No Time To Die.
Other actors have been touted for the role of 007 such as Man of Steel and The Witcher star Henry Cavill, Snowfall actor Damson Idris, Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy and Luther star Idris Elba.
Taylor-Johnson and Eon Productions have previously been asked for comment.