Could an American have played 007?

edited October 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 9,730
with discussions of Brolin and Eastwood I figured it would be fun to play a game similar to Darth Dimi's awesome games but slightly different

the rules are simple Pick an american actor explain why he would be a good bond in doing so you can show a trailer or part of a movie or t.v. show and if you want describe how his tenure (including years you would want him in the role) describing the title and potential plots.


I'm gonna start with someone a little outside the box Richard Gere and the trailer for my reason





He is more 007 in the jackal then Brosnan in tomorrow never dies and most of Die Another Day and had a more Irish accent if that makes sense lol.


personally I would like him from 92-02 doing 6 films and starting off with everyone's least favorite title


007 in New York (1992) which essentially borrow a lot of elements from the jackal, the short story and the man with the golden gun a Former lover and expert cryptoanalist Solange lover is the best assassin the from soviet union had but when communism fell he feel the west is to blame for soviet union collapsing and betraying him so he is going to kill the president and the British prime minister who is visiting the UN only one man stands in his way Bond James Bond.

Goldeneye (1994) Similar to the original film except Trevelyan is not presumed to be Janus until the second film and the characters of Xenia and Trevelyan are combined making the head of Janus a woman who in Goldeneye bond slept with.

Tomorrow Never Lies (1996) is similar to the film except Carver is working for Janus and trying to destroy the British espionage credibility by essentially instead of causing a war between the British and Chinese making them believe a war is starting through misinformation and a smear campaign Bond has less then 72 hours to prove there is no war!

The World is not Enough (1998) once again Same film but cut out the nuclear sub plot and don't reveal Electra Killed her father till the end the reason she killed him of course is because she needed her inheritance early. Seperate from the Janus trilogy

Beyond the Ice (2000) the janus conclusion not sure about the story.


That is as much as i have thus far but I'll try and come with more


Thoughts? and If you think Richard Gere is wrong ok well name me an American actor you think should of been bond!
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Comments

  • SexpionageSexpionage Suspended
    Posts: 49
    Could? Yes....Should? No
  • Posts: 9,730
    and the game goes splat Wah wah wah...

    Any other ideas?
  • edited October 2011 Posts: 1,894
    It depends on the actor, I suppose. After all, James Brolin was initially case as Bond for OCTOPUSSY. I seriously doubt Richard Gere could have pulled it off.

    If there was a current North American actor who could do it, I'd have to say Nathan Fillion would be the man for the job (he's Canadian, not American).

    http://theparanoidgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/20090311-nathan-fillion-290x218.jpg

    He's good-looking, and a good actor.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,882
    As far as american actors for Bond go, I guess Gere might have had a shot at the role. Bear in mind that Gere was born in 1949, if he was to be cast, I think he would have been better starting off as Bond in the early 1980's, when he would have been in his early 30's.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    I don't know about Gere playing Bond but that trailer makes me want to watch "The Jackel". I've never seen it.
  • Well an Australian stepped up to the plate in '69, and Lazenby did OK with his one movie, maybe in retrospect looking back now it seems a bit strange to of had an antipodean playing James Bond 007 but nobody questioned nationalities at the time or after it, any general berating of the actor was down to 'wooden acting' as some put it

    It's fair to say, maybe one day in the future, we could see a US Bond actor but I sincerely hope not, I can easily look above the Lazenby effort or even having Brosnan in four features as a non-British actor, and I have no issue with Dalton as Welsh, he was my favorite anyway, but somehow, right now and at this moment an American bond?, meh, not for me, it just wouldn't feel right, it's similar to the color issue we saw the other week, Bond should, in an ideal world, be British and Caucasion, we have deviated somewhat down the years away from this in terms of actor nationalities, but let's try to continue with what we have in a British Bond going about his business

    It's really not much to ask
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    An american can play bond if he has a very good british accent.
  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    I think Adam West (Batman from the 60s) was offered the Bond role in DAF, but he felt also that Bond should be British.

    Since DAF was such a farce, they may as well have had West as Bond, Burt Ward as Leiter, Cesar Romero as Blofeld and Julie Newmar as Tiffany.

    Actually, DAF probably would have been better.
  • The Riddler and The Penguin probably would of made more believable villains than Mister Kidd and Wint too

  • KerimKerim Istanbul Not Constantinople
    Posts: 2,629
    The Riddler and The Penguin probably would of made more believable villains than Mister Kidd and Wint too

    (After Penguin sprays purple gas from his umbrella on the diamond dealer)

    Riddler: "Riddle me this Penguin. Hu Hu Hu. What is small, has eight legs, has a higher back than front and rocks you like a hurricane? Hu Hu Hu Hu"
    Penguin: "Quack, quack. The Scorpion. Quack, quack."
    Riddler: "One of nature's finest killers, Mr. Penguin. Hu Hu Hu Hu Hu."
    Penguin: "Quack, quack. One is never too old to learn from a master Mr. Riddler. Quack, quack."

    (Riddler and Penguin hold hands, prance around, laugh, quack and use the umbrella and a dancing prop.)


  • If they thought Jill St John was 'quite attractive for a lady' I wonder how they would of reacted to Kim Basinger ?
  • as in 'Batman' (1989), not Never Say Never Again :-|
  • Posts: 1,894
    I don't know about Gere playing Bond but that trailer makes me want to watch "The Jackel". I've never seen it.
    Save yourself the trouble - it's not very good.
  • Posts: 9,730
    I thought it was great but then again maybe i'm easily pleased
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    I think a American would be okay to play Bond as long as he could pull off an American accent. It does kind of upset me that some people on here are saying Bond needs to remain 100% British. What about British actors who are playing Americans... Batman, Spiderman, Superman... No one in America is having a problem with it. Just saying.
  • Batman, Spiderman, Superman or anything such are not James Bond 007

    There is quite a difference

    (mind you Craig did seem to do a bit of all three during Casino Royale)
  • Posts: 1,310
    Well Bond is supposed to be British, but as far as I'm concerned he can be played by an American, a Czech, a Russian etc. as long as their English accent is down. After all, it is acting! The only two Bonds who have been from England are Moore and Craig, right? Although, Wales and Scotland are both part of Great Britain, so the only two actors to play Bond that have not been technically 'British' are Brosnan (Ireland) and Lazenby (Australia).

    I would never want the character of Bond to be American, however (a Bond with an American accent). That simply is not Bond.
  • edited October 2011 Posts: 4,813
    I say yes- but it would take a great actor.
    Also it would most certainly help if the actor wasn't well known, like if the very American Chris Evans (just an example) were to suddenly sprout a British accent, it would be ridiculous, cause everyone knows it's fake.

    I never saw the movie, but I *suspect* the new Sherlock Holmes movie suffered from that problem. Is that a fair assumption?
  • I don't suppose this US Bond idea will ever see the light of day anyways

    It's just the thought that if it did happen I would be watching and thinking 'oh, this James Bond is American, by that I mean the actor, and it would just follow into the movie itself, I said before I didn't really have a problem with Lazenby being Australian, anybody watching the actor and knew nothing about him probably wouldn't imagine at all he was antipodean, but by the same token, I just couldn't envisage a US Bond actor or otherwise, it just seems unsavory is the best way I can describe it
  • its funny how although bond was meant to be english originally, only 2 of the actors have actually been english. Flemming probably wouldnt mind this as he was so impressed by connery he made bond half scottish.

    Personally i dont really like the idea of an american bond (just like i wouldnt want a british bourne), but if the films are still produced by EON and the actor could pull of a decent accent then id give it a chance.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    I would never want the character of Bond to be American, however (a Bond with an American accent). That simply is not Bond.
    I think you're referring to my comment earlier...
    I think a American would be okay to play Bond as long as he could pull off an American accent.
    Meant to say "as long as he could pull off a English accent. My bad.

  • Posts: 1,310
    Funny thing is I didn't even notice that 'American' in there, my mind just put in the word 'English'; I was agreeing with you! Haha I was just making a general comment, but yes I do agree with you.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    Ooops! :-)) Once again, my apologizes. :-))
  • Posts: 1,492
    To be honest its not so much an accent its about poise. Connery and Brosnan never had English accents but had spent an awful lot of time over here to adopt the mannerisms, poise and mentality. I always think Americans playing Brits even when they master the accents (and only a handful do) dont always get the mannerisms right. They exaggerate it or play it over stiff

    The Brit actors dont have to think about it. They just are. So if an American took over Bond he would have an upward struggle to be covincing.
  • SexpionageSexpionage Suspended
    Posts: 49
    if I had to pick an American I would say Jack Nicholson
  • Posts: 268
    Sherlock Holmes is played by an amerian right now and it's a freaking wonderous performance.
    So I say yes.
  • Posts: 289
    Robert Downy Jr is to play Bond after DC leaves!!!!!!
  • Jazz007Jazz007 Minnesota
    Posts: 257
    Sure, an American could have played Bond. The bigger question would be why would anyone go with an American or any other nationality James Bond when there are plenty of talented British actors around?
  • Posts: 289
    the same reason laz was picked best out of a weak litter...
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