Taron Egerton has responded to rumors that he may play the role of James Bond, saying that he does not think he is “the right choice for this.”
Initially, the actor became famous in the Bond-like franchise Kingsman, although with the departure of Daniel Craig as Agent 007, Egerton’s name appeared on the list of potential actors who could take on the role.
“I don’t think I’m the right person for this,” the star told The Daily Telegraph. “To be such a guy, you need to be stately all the time. And that’s what I’m still striving for. I’ve always struggled with my weight.”
Egerton revealed that he believes body preparation is necessary whenever he takes on a role, adding that Bond is “a bit like being a brand ambassador as well as being an actor. And it can be a lot of fun in a microcosm, but I’m sure I read that [producer] Barbara Broccoli said it’s a 15-year commitment.”
The star added: “Anyway, it doesn’t matter how I feel about it, because I can tell you that there were no phone calls.”
Other stars whose names have featured as the next Bond are Lucien Lavisconte and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, with the latter recently responding to rumors in a chat with Vanity Fair.
“There may be something really positive written about you [about you], but there may also be something really negative that can spread,” he said. “You just want to stay in your lane, stay on the ground, stay close to the people you love and love you, and stay in this world.”
Taylor-Johnson added: “Because the moment you start believing the shit that people are saying about you, you go crazy. You’ve lost him.”
Idris Elba has also been rumored for a long time as the next 007 agent, although the actor recently suggested that it was purely speculation, telling The Guardian: “I love the Bond franchise, I’m very close with the producers. We all kind of laughed at the rumors, because that’s what they are.”
The star continued: “I can’t speak for them, but from my point of view, there was never any truth in it.”
