It’s an eternal pop culture debate: who is the best Bond? The dramatic Daniel Craig or the rugged Timothy Dalton? The more ironic, friendlier Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore? Original screen Bond Sean Connery? Or George Lazenby, who was only used once as 007? And who should follow in the footsteps of this illustrious team?
At least one man who knows a lot about James Bond has offered all 007 fans a bittersweet perspective on this question. Because according to him, there is (no longer) the perfect Bond actor to bring Ian Fleming’s legendary creation to life. We’re talking about Daniel Day-Lewis!
This makes Day-Lewis the ideal Bond
The British author William Boyd already had numerous points of contact with the Bond cosmos. He wrote the screenplay for the drama ‘A Good Man In Africa’ starring Sean Connery, the drama ‘Mister Johnson’ with Pierce Brosnan and the Daniel Craig war film ‘The Trench’, which Boyd also directed.
So when Boyd released the official James Bond novel Solo in 2013, it was inevitable that he would be confronted with it during promos. However, Boyd refused to give a clear answer to the question of who was the best Bond: such as the British portal reports that he does not want to choose between the stars. Instead, he pitched his own forward-looking proposal.
“If there is an actor who should play my James Bond, I would choose another actor who has appeared in one of my films and is called Daniel: Daniel Day-LewisBoyd explained. For a very simple reason: “He actually looks like Bond as Fleming describes him. “He was a tall, thin, long-limbed, very dark-haired, handsome man,” the “Solo” author said.
And when he makes this description, he only thinks of two men: the singer Hoagy Carmichael, who was very popular during the Second World War and is used by name to describe Bond in three Flemish novels. And Day-Lewis, who starred in the Boyd novel adaptation “Stars and Bars.”
Therefore, nothing will come of Boyd’s wish
Unless another cinematic miracle occurs, Boyd’s ideal casting will likely remain wishful thinking. On the one hand, ten years have now passed since Boyd’s statements and Day-Lewis has become older and grayer. So you would have to prescribe a hair treatment for the actor or talk about a very mature 007 to pursue the Bond author’s vision.
The biggest problem with Boyd’s casting request lies elsewhere: Day-Lewis’ career status. The three-time Oscar winner retired a few years after Boyd’s statements. In 2017 he announced that he would no longer act as an actor. His last film was Paul Thomas Anderson’s ambiguous relationship drama ‘The Silk Thread’.
The BBC has since quoted Anderson’s sincere wish that Day-Lewis really just needs a break, but as the director himself noted, “It definitely doesn’t look like that.” Day-Lewis virtually withdrew from public life. This way he can go into hiding like a top agent!