James Bond movies are among the highest-grossing and most famous films for decades. The international spy 007 has a massive fan following across all age groups. Numerous stars made their mark by playing the role of Bond in the franchise. Some noteworthy names include Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and most recently, Daniel Craig. The actor quit the franchise, and numerous actors are vying for the role. However, there was once a time when even famous actors like Michael Caine refused to play Bond.
The Prestige star Michael Caine was offered the role of James Bond in 1967, however, the actor refused to become a world-famous spy. The star rejected the promising role for a very bizarre reason.
Michael Caine rejected James Bond’s role for an unexpected reason
Actor Sean Connery stepped down from the 007 secret agent role in 1971 after the film Diamonds Are Forever. Before his departure, numerous actors were approached for the role, however, most of the stars declined the opportunity. One among them was The Dark Knight actor Michael Caine.
Tenet star Michael Caine was offered the role in 1967 when Connery’s run as James Bond was reaching its end. Caine was already an established actor at the time. He had worked in thrillers like The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin, etc. He was also a heartthrob for women after his acting in the 1966 movie Alfie.
Talking about the offer for the role of James Bond, he shared with Radio Times,
“I was always much more ordinary. Bond was a glamorous, imaginative creation. I’ve always played real people.”
The legendary star, however, chose to be part of Christian Bale‘s Batman franchise. He played the character of Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
Michael Caine’s friendship with James Bond star Sean Connery
Sean Connery played the character of Bond in several movies in the duration of 1962 to 1983. Former James Bond first met Michael Caine at a party during the production of South Pacific in 1954. The duo became good friends, and Connery considered the Batman Begins star as one of his close friends from the film industry. The two actors worked together in The Man Who Would Be King and A Bridge Too Far.
Michael Caine once shared in an interview that being friends with Connery meant that no one would talk about James Bond. As per Wall Street Journal, Caine said,
“If you were his friend in these early days you didn’t raise the subject of Bond. He was, and is, a much better actor than just playing James Bond, but he became synonymous with Bond. He’d be walking down the street, and people would say, ‘Look, there’s James Bond’. That was particularly upsetting to him.”
Caine will be seen in The Great Escaper in theatres from 6 October 2023.
Source- Wall Street Journal, Radio Times
