In a recent interview, actor Hugh Jackman said that he was offered the role of James Bond prior to Daniel Craig taking on the character but ended up turning it down.
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In the interview, Jackman reveals that prior to 2006’s Casino Royale, he was approached about becoming the next James Bond. The actor attributes the opportunity to the success he received playing Wolverine in the X-Men films, but said that was also the reason he ultimately decided against taking on the task.
“I was like, ‘If I’m doing that and Wolverine, I’ll have no time to do anything else,” said Jackman to Indiewire. “I clearly find it more interesting to play people who color outside the lines.”
Jackman also went on to say that he didn’t want to play a heroic action star, due to it being the standard role for most actors in American films. “It was all various forms of heroic guys in tough situations. I was like, ‘Uh, no. This is a problem,'” Jackman said.
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Of course, instead of Jackman, the role of James Bond went to Daniel Craig, who went on to star in the role for more than 10 years. Craig appeared in five total films, the final of which was 2021’s No Time to Die.
Following Daniel Craig’s departure from the character in 2021’s No Time to Die, the status of the next 007 films and who will be playing the character of James Bond has been subject to heavy speculation.
