Mads Mikkelsen has proved with his impeccable portfolio that he can be trusted with a wide range of roles. After beginning his career in Danish cinema and gaining recognition for his works like the Pusher films, Mikkelsen rose to international stardom through his role in Casino Royale. In the 21st James Bond film, the Doctor Strange actor starred opposite Daniel Craig as the main antagonist, Le Chiffre.
Mikkelsen went on to establish himself as a top-tier actor in Hollywood while continuing his work in Danish movies. However, the Hannibal actor was not the first choice for the Bond villain and his Hollywood debut almost didn’t happen at all.
Mads Mikkelsen Got The Part After The Original Actor Fell Through
Mads Mikkelsen had a memorable outing as the villainous private banker who finances global terrorism. However, the Fantastic Beasts actor was not cast until after the filming for Casino Royale had already begun. The casting director of the movie, Debbie McWilliams, revealed that they wanted a French actor to portray the French villain and they had a specific actor in mind. However, the studio didn’t agree to that casting.
McWilliams further revealed that since producer Barbara Broccoli had already pushed for the casting of Daniel Craig, they had to give in to the studio’s decision. McWilliams recounted to EW:
“Some people aren’t cast even after we start shooting. Mads Mikkelsen was not in [Casino Royale] at all until the person who we originally wanted didn’t go. There was an actor very much in mind who I very much wanted, but in the end, the studio didn’t want.”
However, Mikkelsen had long been on McWilliams’ radar due to his exceptional performances in Danish films. Once their initial casting choice fell through, she picked the Indiana Jones villain to fill the role. They were filming in Prague, when Mikkelsen, who also happened to be in Prague, joined the cast of Casino Royale.
Casino Royale Opened Up A Whole New Set Of Opportunities For Mads Mikkelsen
Casino Royale revived the old glory of James Bond films, especially at the box office. The film that launched Mads Mikkelsen’s Hollywood career, grossed $616 million at the box office and it’s the fourth highest-grossing film in the $7.8 billion franchise. Following the success of his Bond film, Mikkelsen moved to the US and started getting new opportunities in Hollywood.
Mikkelsen revealed that it was not an easy transition. After Casino Royale, the Rogue One actor got an American agent who advised him to go all in with the auditions. Mikkelsen shared that he didn’t have the time to think about the roles, some of which were interesting, while others not so much. The Polar actor told Vulture:
“I got an American agent and it was like, ‘Okay, so you did a Bond film. Now things are happening. Move over there and spend some time and do all the meetings and the chitchat and some auditions.’ I never had the chance to think about whether it was a film I wanted to be in or not, I just did them all. Some of the stuff was interesting. And other things were just like.”
Mikkelsen has since been part of projects from major studios and franchises. In the meantime, the Chaos Walking actor has continued to earn critical acclaim for his Danish movies like The Hunt.
Fans can enjoy Mads Mikkelsen playing the calculative James Bond villain, by streaming Casino Royale, now available on Prime Video.
Source: EW
