1750th Blog Post Special: Top 25 Actors to play James Bond

Been a long time since the last milestone post and I wish that I could be celebrating. But obviously I'm not because of the coronavirus pandemic which at the time of writing this may actually be dying down. But anyway to celebrate this milestone, I decided it's time to do a post I have been meaning to do for a while. With Daniel Craig retiring his James Bond character this year with No Time To Die, the thought of who could play him next is on the minds of all the fans out there including my own. So this is a list of actors ranked on how much I want them to play Bond. As with all my lists, this list contains actors I have seen in action who I believe have the makings of being the one and only 007. So things like charm, charisma, energy and how tough the guy can be as well as whether the actor can do a British accent that's actually good. Also in light of what Doctor Who has been doing, there will be some actresses as well as actors and of course actors of a different race too. But the bottom line is that as long as they can be Bond, it will be just fine and for obvious reasons, I'm not including any of the actors who have played him in the past (which includes Craig as well). So grab your shaken martinis as we look at my personal picks for the next Bond actor:

25 - Emily Blunt

So while I have ranked the list of how much I want the person to play the role, I would just be happy for any one of these great actors and actresses to play the role. So first up is Emily Blunt. A gal who has been in a few action films and has mastered the British mannerisms when she played Mary Poppins. In a way, she would be a great fit for the role due to her experience in action films and just being British in her own way. I have seen a few of her films and have enjoyed most of them. I especially liked her in Edge of Tomorrow, Looper and as I already mentioned, Mary Poppins Returns. So yeah let's see if she gets it and I know who would want to interview her more than anyone if she did get it.

24 - Claire Foy

Most of you will know Claire Foy more for playing the Queen in a couple of seasons from The Crown. So from there you know she can master British mannerisms just fine. But maybe you don't know about her other roles. She's been part of at least one adaptation of one of Terry Pratchett's books and one adaptation of one of the Millennium books (otherwise known as "The Girl" something something) and in both of those, she was kicking ass. So yeah perhaps another ideal choice should the film makers want a female Bond and apart from being the Queen, she hasn't had a typecast role yet. So maybe this will be her chance to get that kind of role.

23 - Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke may not be the first choice for many people to play Bond. But after seeing what she can do, I think she could pull it off. She's very classy and was great in Game of Thrones. Also he once said that if she were to do any kind of nudity whether it be part of a sex scene or a torture scene or the like, she would only do it if there was purpose or a reason for it rather than just doing it for the sake of it. Most film makers would respect that very much, and she would almost certainly get that wish granted if she were to play Bond. Moving away from that, she is also British so doing the accent will be pretty easy for her. So maybe up for consideration MGM?

22 - Orlando Bloom

Bloom here is no stranger to the spotlight having already played hero like characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the adaptations of the stories of Middle-Earth. So he has the experience, he's already British anyway, and he also has some charm to him too. I don't know if having a shaken Martini is his preferred drink, but he knows his way around a bow and arrow, a sword, a gun and even a pirate ship or two. So gadgets will no doubt be pretty easy for him. Another ideal choice me thinks.

21 - Charlize Theron

Although she is more model than actress most times, Charlize Theron is one that has already done the spy gig in Atomic Blonde and be a bit of an action star in Mad Max: Fury Road. Not sure if she can master the British mannerisms, but as an actress she is good at what she does even with a script that isn't all that great in some of her films that are best being ignored. I like her acting style, think she is a really great actress, and she can be quite intimidating too which would be just perfect for the role. Plus with all the merchandise that the franchise is known for having which does involve some modelling, she would feel right at home.

20 - Dougray Scott

Now out of all the actors and actresses on this list, I have not seen many of Dougray Scott's works. But he has starred in a fair few films and TV shows in which he has played a few villains, a few good guys and has done impossible missions, survived walkers, played one of the most iconic monsters of all time, entered the Death Race and has had some encounters with Batwoman and The Doctor. So its fair to say that he has starred in a few well known franchises already, and he would not be the first Scottish actor to play Bond. Could he do it well? There is a good chance he can. With all that in his filmography already, why not have him in another franchise.

19 - Michael B. Jordan

Michael B. Jordan may not be the first actor people will think of to play Bond. But you have to admire how much he has done in the past several years. Although his stint in Fan4stic wasn't all that great, his roles in Black Panther and the Creed films, make me want to see him play Bond. He no doubt has the body for it, he can be serious and also fun too, and he is no stranger to gadgets having already used a Black Panther like suit during his Wakanda gig. Plus I bet he can be classy too. But the question about whether he can do a British accent is another matter entirely. Good actor nonetheless though.

18 - Damian Lewis

So out of the people on this list, I haven't seen much of what Damian Lewis can do as an actor. But from what I have seen of him, his acting allows him to endure pain, be great at romance scenes and look good in a suit. He's also British as well, so he has ticked a few boxes already. He could very well be among those in the list that would be perfect for the role. Plus at present he hasn't been typecast for anything he has done so maybe by playing James Bond, he will get just that. Great actor worth considering.

17 - Jamie Bell

Jamie Bell has done almost everything. He's done ballet, played a superhero in an otherwise pretty bad film, done a bit of song writing and played one of the most well known European based adventurers of all time. So in other words, there is probably not many roles that Jamie Bell can't do and because he's always playing a different type of character in all his films, James Bond would no doubt be his first attempt at playing a British MI6 agent. And you know what, it could work. He's British, clearly has the body and energy to maintain the role for a few good films. Its more a case of can he manage all the other traits that make James Bond what he is. Well only time will tell.

16 - Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy may not be the first choice for people when it comes to Bond. But after seeing him play Scarecrow, a terrorist of sorts and the brutal no nonsense leader of the Peaky Blinders, maybe being Bond may be a nice change of pace. He's known more for being a villain or anti-hero than an actual hero and will no doubt make for a great villain in any Bond film. But to have him actually play as Bond may be quite interesting. He is British first and foremost, he can be brutal, he knows how to fight, and he also knows his way around guns and toxins. So yes definitely up for consideration me thinks.

15 - Michael Fassbender

So now we have Magneto of all people who I think is another great choice for James Bond. Not only can Michael Fassbender play a great villain turned anti-hero, but he can speak other languages, looks good in a suit once again, is as British as you can get (like most of the people on this list) and after seeing him in Assassin's Creed (the film, not the game), he's pretty athletic too. Overall another ideal choice for James Bond and also one that could very well maintain the role for a good few years. Plus he would no longer be type casted if he were to be the next Bond.

14 - Gillian Anderson

Now I haven't seen many things that have Gillian Anderson in them. But she has played an M like character in one of the Johnny English films (which for those of you who don't know, is largely a parody of James Bond starring Rowan Atkinson) and has appeared in many crime dramas and even The X-Files at one point. So I guess in a way, she has had experience in the genre that Bond belongs to. As for playing Bond, yeah I see it. Not sure if she could manage the physical stuff, but she certainly can do the talking and using some gadgets. So yeah I'd like to see if she can do it.

13 - John Boyega

So before talking about John Boyega, it's important to note that he has done more than just Star Wars. He was the leader of a group of teenage hoodlums that would go on to save their block of flats from aliens in Attack the Block. He also played a starring action role in Pacific Rim: Uprising which if anything proves he can do the physical stuff. So I guess overall, he would be a good canadate to play Bond. He knows what evil looks like, he knows his way around gadgets whether they are guns or lightsaber-like weapons and of course he can control one half of a giant robot. Not to mention that despite putting on an American accent, he is as British as you can get. So yeah let's see if he can do it.

12 - Julian McMahon

We all know that the first time there was an Australian actor playing Bond, the film he was in was not very good. But let's not assume that because the actor is Australian that the films he or she does is going to suck. So I've seen a few things that Julian McMahon has been in. He was alright as Doctor Doom in the first two Fantastic Four films. He played a hardened time traveller in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency as well as another super being in Runaways. So we already know that he knows what great power can do and I guess he does have charm which is good for being Bond. Plus the fact that he has done a fair few things that involve some physical stuff, means that he would be another great actor to play the role. He just needs to do a good British accent and then we are all there.

11 - Sam Worthington

Another aussie actor now and one that has done quite a lot of major roles already. He already knows his way around machines, has fought many monsters of greek mythology and he even did some voices in some of the Call of Duty games. So in other words, Sam Worthington knows how to do an action film and can even do some more serious roles too. He can be serious, he can play a hardened Bond like Daniel Craig and he has the looks and charm too. Whether he can master the accent and mannerisms of British culture is another matter.

10 - Tom Hiddleston

Now onto the top ten. The people I want to see play Bond more than any other actor and we start with Tom Hiddleston. A man who knows how to cause mischief and have a voice that can make him a bit camp at times. But nevertheless, he has done a few action roles as well as being that now well known Marvel villain turned anti-hero that's only in it for himself. A Bond that is silly may not fare well with fans. But he can do serious roles and if he knows his way around a powerful mind controlling sceptor, then chances are he knows his way around other gadgets and weapons too. He may play some silly roles, but he can be serious when necessary.

9 - Daniel Kaluuya

Ever since his time on Black Mirror, Daniel Kaluuya's life has changed dramatically. No longer is he a lesser known actor having done lots of horror roles, a villainous role in Black Panther and he also appeared in at least one Johnny English film (though more as an assistant to English than anything else). He is British, can do action roles, be serious and scared and should he have to defy physics, he will do that too. Perhaps one to consider.

8 - Henry Cavill

Ever since leaving his Superman role behind, Henry Cavill has continued to do a fair bit of acting. Not only has he played the man of steel, he has also been a witcher and played a villain in a Mission Impossible film (which was the main reason for his CGI face in Justice League), the latter of which proves that he can do spy films. So how about being Bond you may be asking. Well like some of the other actors on this list, he is British despite putting on an accent in his films. We already know that he is physically fit and able to play action roles like James Bond. And he definitley has charm too. Worth up for consideration especially if you are expecting him to carry on the role for a few films.

7 - Richard Madden

Now we have another Game of Thrones actor who I actually think got his breakout role more in Bodyguard than that. But anyway, Richard Madden has done a lot of things that make me consider him for playing Bond. He definitley knows how to fight, how to get out of terrifying and life threatening situations and has the romance side of things down to a T. So its fair to say that he knows how to get things done (unlike some politicans we have) and will do the best he can with any script he recieves. So yeah definitley another one to consider.

6 - Dominic West

Dominic West has already had a sort of James Bond gig when he played a villainous spy in one of the Johnny English films (funnily enough, the same one that Gillian Anderson starred in). So I guess he already knows about how to play a charming spy that knows his way around gadgets. So kind of a no brainer that I would want him as another potiental person to play the role. Although largely known for playing villains over heroes, playing James Bond may be a delightful change of pace for him. But let's see what MGM says.

5 - Clive Owen

So of all the films Clive Owen has done, the one I feel is the reason why I think he could play a good James Bond, is Sin City. He knows evil when he sees it and will go as far as to brutally beat up anyone who dares try to destroy him. He has also starred in some other big films like 300, the first Star Wars prequel and even a Pink Panther film too. But he is one that I think can do it because aside from the beating up side of things, he is also British and looks pretty good in a suit. I don't know if it would be too late for him now to play the role because of his age. But that hasn't stopped some of the older actors that have played him in the past. So let's see.

4 - Tom Hardy

Its difficult when you know how an actor does his thing. Sean Bean always has his character killed off, Liam Neeson always kills someone either on or off screen and Tom Hardy always has to wear a mask. Bane, Max Rockatansky, Venom and even that pilot from Dunkirk. But with James Bond, that can all change. Tom Hardy has done so many roles with so many film makers that playing James Bond would just add to the many roles he has played so far. Not sure how he would fare in a suit, but he is British (but his accent is the hardened sort) and for obvious reasons knows how to fight, how to use a gadget or two and even knows how to drive cool. An ideal canidate to play Bond me thinks.

3 - Idris Elba

So around the time I started creating this post, I learned of Idris Elba being tested positive for the coronavirus and considered higher risk due to personal health issues. But I'm relieved to know that he made it through isolation so I feel happier to have him on this list. He has done quite a lot of things in recent times. Appearing in a number of films and TV shows and looking good in a suit. After seeing him in films like Pacific Rim, Star Trek: Beyond and others, I'm fairly confident that he would be a great choice for Bond. He is of course very close to the top of everyone's favourite preffered actor list and he is in my top 3. So yeah.

2 - Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch is the sort of actor who can do so many roles so well that it would be impossible to find a role he can't do. I mean he's been a detective, a dragon, Marvel's very own sorcerer supreme and even a few historical people as well. And although most of us know he can change his voice to match up to the roles he is give, this will not be the case for Bond. This is because he is in fact British. But as well as that, he can be very energetic and for a guy who managed to work out the best possible outcome out of billions of possible scenarios, its clear to me that he knows when things have to be crucial. So yes I'd say give him a go.

Now because there were more that 25 actors that I wanted to see play Bond, here are some honourable mentions.

Honourable Mentions:

• Aiden Turner
• Luke Evans
• Chris Hemsworth
• Thandie Newton
• Lauren Cohan
• Naomie Harris
• Lupita Nyong'o
• Nicholas Hoult
• Daisy Ridley

And with that, my number one choice is...


1 - Karl Urban

Now you might be thinking why out of everyone here do I pick Karl Urban. Well its more because of his experience in doing roles that require the use of weapons and to act all intimidating and hopeful. Not to mention that he is a master of one liners too. I reckon that James Bond will be Karl Urban's next big role. I mean everyone knows him and he's starred in a few films that's made me want to consider him more than anyone. So there you are.

Now as I previously said, this list of actors and actresses is based on how much I want them to play the role. But as I said, I would just be happy to see any of these people in the role whether it be a man again, a woman, a person of a different race or even someone who isn't British but can do a good accent in light of that. Its all down to MGM ultimately, but feel free to leave your favourites in the comments below and whether you agree with my picks or not.