James Bond casting director claims younger actors don’t have the ‘mental capacity’ to play 007

A James Bond casting director has claimed younger actors don’t have the ‘mental capacity’ for the highly-coveted role.

Debbie McWilliams, who has snapped up stars for the franchise since 1981, complained up-and-coming hopefuls lacked ‘experience’ and ‘gravitas’ when they auditioned for the top spot ahead of 2006’s Casino Royale.

She told Radio Times: ‘We did look at a lot of younger actors, and I just don’t think they had the gravitas, they didn’t have the experience, they didn’t have the mental capacity to take it on, because it’s not just the part they’re taking on, it’s a massive responsibility.’

‘So we kind of scrubbed that idea and went back to the drawing board and started again.’

Daniel Craig ultimately became 007, a role he reprised for 2009’s Quantum of Solace, 2012’s Skyfall, 2015’s Spectre and No Time to Die in 2021.

Interesting! A James Bond casting director has claimed younger actors don’t have the ‘mental capacity’ for the highly-coveted role (Daniel Craig pictured in No Time To Die) 

Iconic: Debbie McWilliams complained up-and-coming hopefuls lacked ‘experience’ and ‘gravitas’ when they auditioned for 2006’s Casino Royale (Daniel Craig pictured in Spectre)

Daniel recently bowed out of his role as the secret agent and speculation has been rife about who is next in line – with Aaron Taylor Johnson and Henry Cavill leading the bookies’ favourites. 

Bookmakers William Hill subsequently placed Henry Cavill at the forefront with 5/2, Regé Jean-Page with odds of 4/1, followed by Tom Hardy and James Norton both with 6/1 and Chiwetel Ejiofor at 7/1.

Idris Elba has insisted he has no interest in playing James Bond as he discussed the ‘extended middle finger and a wink’ to the spy in Luther: The Fallen Sun.

The actor, 50, stars as the titular John Luther in the first big-screen version of the TV franchise and has long been touted as Daniel’s replacement.

One scene in the film has Luther refusing a martini, Bond’s favourite drink, in a moment that creator and writer Neil Cross described to Radio Times as “an extended middle finger and a wink” at Bond.

Idris said: ‘The martini line is a bit cheeky, isn’t it? I was like, “Neil, are you sure you want to put that in?”.’

However, he also insists that the references to Bond in the Luther film are not his attempt at an audition for the British spy.

Idris said: ‘My Bond audition? Oh my God, no! I’ve been saying for years, no!’

Could it be? Daniel recently bowed out of his role and speculation has been rife about who is next in line – with Aaron Taylor Johnson (pictured in 2019) leading the bookies’ favourites

Giving his opinion on if he thinks Luther is better than Bond, Idris diplomatically says: ‘Not “better”, no.  Luther’s equally engaging, equally sexy and great to see visually. 

‘But Bond is from a universe where espionage was the way to capture. Luther is from the world where you bang on the door, “Are you in there? I’m coming in.” 

‘I think Luther fits with a bit more of a modern-day bad guy as opposed to someone from the taking-over-the-world style.’

Discussing Luther, he adds: ‘That character is so well written. You could have Luther opening an envelope for ten minutes and you’d still go, “Oh my God, what’s in the envelope?” because he’s just that kind of character. 

‘It’s still exciting to me because we’re not talking about season one of Luther. It’s evolved and grown and we’ve got bigger and braver.’