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He’s not my idea of James Bond at all. He’s a bit nondescript, not a natural leading man in my view. He looks like an ‘everyman’.
I’m not denying he’s a good actor though.
I disagree, I think he's well able to carry a film on his shoulders. But for arguments sake - even if I did agree, I also thought the same of Daniel Craig at one point!
I'm 5'9'' and I think that's probably too small to work for Bond. It's not all about height alone, though - American actor Ed Harris is the same height as me, but he looks taller simply because his faces' bone structure just screams 'tough'. He always gives me the impression of a big guy on screen because of this. O'Connell doesn't strike me as particularly short, but he doesn't come across as tall, either; he's rugged, but a little boyish. I think it might be a bit of a stretch for him to be Bond, though I don't know for sure.
As far as acting goes, he's very well regarded. Lots of actors that we've talked about as potential candidates would kill for the acting credibility this guy has. If Aidan Turner had the lead in films like '71, Starred Up, and Unbroken in his filmography, he would be laughing. These are the sort of serious, gritty performances that would make the taller, male model-looking candidates actual contenders, if only they'd played them. I think he'll get a screen-test, I'm just not sure he'll ace it. He's more Callan than Bond, imo.
My thoughts exactly. No doubt this will cause uproar....but he even has that ‘look’. You could easily see him in a local miners club.....vest, Tattoos and a pint of bitter.
For example, Tom Hiddleston looks like an Officer. He looks a tad ‘toff.’ O’Connell doesn’t IMO.
Totally snobbery, but the type of snobbery Fleming included in his books in his descriptions of people.
Ummm.....hiring toffs to play Bond does not work. Remember, Sean Connery was the epitome of the working class. He was a coffin polisher and a milkman. Fleming hated his casting and called him an overpaid stuntman. He ended up eating those words.
If you think O'Connell can't handle drama, then watch Starred Up. If you think he can't do action then watch '71. If you think he can't be suave and sexy then watch Seberg.
He's got everything needed to be Bond....just a tad short. But without that he's someone to keep a serious eye on. Let's wait and see....he's probably the best actor being mentioned in contention for the part.
That’s fair enough.
See, I’d quite like a ‘posher’ Bond with the next casting. Ian Fleming himself apparently wanted David Niven originally and he really was ‘top of the toffs’.
Exactly. From Russia with Love: "Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something."
He is a bit of a snob. I'm okay with that. I'm from an English middle-class family and I don't have the inverted snobbery that I see from some Americans about the British upper-classes. I don't have the fascination for them either, mind you, but there you go.
I don't think Bond's public school background is something that needs to be changed just because some people no longer consider it to be acceptable for a hero. Bond is literally old-school.
I don't think that means you have to have an actor from the same background to play him, but they do have to play convincingly from that background to some degree, or at least not actively go against it. I just don't know if O'Connell can do that.
Good post. My thoughts exactly.
Looks a tad young, no idea how he is as an actor but can't see the mixed heritage on these pictures and he does have the elegance of nothing else. For the record, I'd have no problem at all if someone of mixed heritage like this Sean Teale were to get the role.
This is how Bond wears a suit
O'Connell yes. Indeed.
Fassbender any day, Theo James is a decent actor but haven't seen much from him.
Turner looks far more like a Bond. He looks like an artists impression on one of Fleming’s books. O’Connell looks like Mr. Average (apart from the height which is below average).
Thankfully some people have better vision than others :)
Thank you. Turner is constantly put forward in this thread, we should be able to constantly detract without this sort of nonsense.
+1.
Don't twist my words, they aren't open to creative interpretation, just a tongue in cheek remark. Some people are so stiff around here. Relax.
Funny you say that as I observe other names mentioned at least as much such as O'Connell, by certain people around here. There are camps, deal with it. Turner happens to have the popular vote.
I really like Jamie Dornan, and had he not gone into Christian Grey territory, he'd be a favorite. But I can't see EON going with an actor that audiences see on screen and say, "That's the Fifty Shades of Grey guy."
Ditto Henry Cavill, to a higher degree. He's Superman. Done.
Robert Pattinson is another one. I really think he had a good shot at this. Now he's Batman. Done.
Hiddleston is too old, folks. So are Fassbender and Elba. Both would be great in a one-off. But we know that that is not in the cards. They're out.
Based on look, credits, and "some" obscurity, my top three are Norton, Madden, and dark horse Jeremy Irvine (posted earlier). I prefer Irvine only because he's 4-5 years younger than Norton and Madden and could grow with the role a little longer--but this is a personal preference. At the rate we are going, Bond 26 will be out in 2023 or 2024. Norton and Madden will be pushing 40 by that time. Just something to consider.
That's a good joke @Denbigh . You know that isn't true. Turner gets a lot of heat from the naysayers in general