Henry Cavill has been in the spotlight for years and has become quite popular for portraying the DC superhero Superman and Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher series. However, over the past few years, he has also become one of the many top contenders to take over the mantle of the MI6 agent, James Bond. So far, many actors have brought the character to life on screen, with Daniel Craig being the last actor to be seen as 007 in the series, which has also become one of the most successful James Bond franchises.
However, before he was finalized for the role, Cavill was also in the race to take the mantle of the secret agent. However, he lost the grand opportunity to the No Time to Die star. And in an interview, The Witcher star shared that he could have done better to compete against Craig.
Henry Cavill Recalled His James Bond Audition
Daniel Craig made his debut as James Bond with the 2006 film Casino Royale and went on to feature in a total of five movies under the franchise. However, during an interview with Men’s Health, Henry Cavill revealed that the role and one of the most successful James Bond franchises could have featured him if he prepared better for his audition.
Talking about some of the major roles he missed out on during the early 2000s, he also shared that he did a screen test for the lead role in Casino Royale. He was asked to reenact a scene from Sean Connery’s James Bond era, in which he had to exit the bathroom in a towel.
However, the audition did not go as planned. He shared that the director Martin Campbell was honest about sharing his opinion and said, “Looking a little chubby there, Henry.” The Man of Steel star said that he did not know how to train or diet at the time.
“I probably could have prepared better,” he recalled. However, the director’s words were not hurtful but only helped him get better in the future. Cavill shared that he was glad Campbell stated his honest opinion, and it has helped him improve himself over the years.
Henry Cavill Could Have Become James Bond
Martin Campbell told Henry Cavill at the time that he looked a “little chubby” during his audition for Casino Royale. However, the director later revealed the real reason he did not cast him as the lead in the 2006 movie. During an interview, he praised Cavill, saying, “He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous.”
He even went on to state if Daniel Craig was not in line, the Enola Holmes actor would have certainly landed the role. Campbell also said that there was nothing wrong with his physique, saying that he was “terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled.”
However, the primary reason he did not cast him as 007 was that he found him too young for the role. “He just looked a little young at that time back then,” he shared. While Martin Campbell believed that Cavill was too young at the time, he is now considered too old for the role now, as the makers are looking for a younger actor to portray the character in future projects.
Source: Men’s Health
