Sean Connery is one of the most widely recognized stars to ever portray the famed British spy James Bond, and even though his character exemplifies the epitome of a brave agent, the actor still has a fear that he cannot overcome.
Connery reprised his role in Irvin Kershner’s 1983 film Never Say Never Again, and one of the most unforgettable moments during production was the actor’s refusal to shoot one particular scene. He was supposed to film underwater.
Sean Connery Was Hesitant To Shoot Underwater Without Proper Safety Measures
In an interview with Johnny Carson, actor Sean Connery revealed he could not bring himself to shoot the underwater scene in Never Say Never Again. Despite his character’s cool demeanor, the James Bond star lost his spirits after finding out he had to go for a dive.
“The underwater stuff, I’m not very good at it and was very, very nervous about going under. To go down into the interior of the boat, about 50-60 feet, I was getting through twice as much air as everybody else, and the place was covered in bubbles because I was panicking all the time.”
Like everyone else, Connery had his weaknesses, and it just happened he had to face them at work. It also did not add that there were sharks to pay attention to, and the thought of encountering one terrified the actor. Of course, he did not give up without trying at least once, but it just did not work in his favor.
“The guy was trying to explain to me that if I would just breathe somewhat normally, they would be able to film it easier, and they could see who it was. Even in the film, there is a certain note of panic in my eyes; you can see it.”
Connery initially dissented from the scene the moment he read the script. He demanded that he would only attempt to go for a dive if there were safety measures to keep him safe, which is very understandable.
“I kept thinking, ‘If there’s no more air, where do I go?’ I could see the bottom of the other boat that I came from, and the guy said to me, ‘One thing I have to admit, you’re the fastest going up.’ ”
The production team had to install plexiglass to prevent the sharks from attacking Connery, though they were not enough to fully secure him. In the end, the underwater scene was not as impressive as it should have been due to the actor’s anxiety and refusal to shoot without protective gear.
How Sean Connery Agreed To Return As James Bond In Never Say Never Again
In a conversation with Harold Greene, Sean Connery revealed what made him return to the franchise for one last time. He noted that he had a hand in the story’s direction.
“It’s really dense in terms of the story and subplot and texture – it’s like a detective story – and I have to take quite a bit of responsibility for that. Because I insisted that they go back to that sort of movie if I were going to do it, which, I suppose, is a certain kind of nostalgia on my part.”
Connery agreeing to one more James Bond movie was brought by a series of situations and not a definite decision. At one point, his wife suggested he should do it again, and the actor thought it was not entirely a crazy idea.
