George Lazenby was the youngest actor to play Bond, having turned 30 the year that On Her Majesty's Secret Service came out in 1969 (with Sean Connery following at the age of 32). The oldest was Roger Moore, at 46 a full four years ahead of the second oldest, 42-year-old Pierce Brosnan.
Having appeared in only one film, Lazenby's tenure as Bond is the shortest among the actors in the series. Beginning his professional career as a model, Lazenby had only acted in commercials when he was cast to replace original Bond actor Sean Connery.
Monica Bellucci in Spectre became the oldest Bond girl at the age of 50, although she stated that she does not consider herself to be a "Bond girl", but a "Bond woman".
Dalton revealed that he had initially signed a three-film contract, and a third movie was in the works, but it was scrapped because of the lawsuits. Dalton declined the opportunity to return as Bond in another movie when he was asked to sign a longer contract, leading to Pierce Brosnan taking on the role.
Then let's press on. For us, the Irishman swings the top spot, purely because he marks the perfect mid-point between everything that makes Bond great. His films see a blend of Timothy Dalton's grittiness and Roger Moore's campiness.
Daniel Craig's salary for portraying James Bond in Spectre (USA/UK, 2015) is estimated to have totalled around $39 million (£25.4 million), making him by far the highest-paid actor to have appeared in the Bond series to date, even allowing for inflation.
With that in mind, Connery isn't our first choice (cue gnashing of teeth from hardcore fans), but he's an inescapable part of the franchise's legacy. The Scottish actor was the first Bond to take up the reins seriously and make the role his own. As the original, he is what many would see as the best Bond.
The decision to cast Taylor-Johnson signifies a significant shift for the franchise. Taking over from Daniel Craig, who starred in the last five Bond films, is no small feat, and Taylor-Johnson faces the challenge of redefining the character while honoring its rich legacy.
For example, Madonna would be far and away the wealthiest ex-Bond Girl – with a net worth of $850 million – except she only made a cameo in “Die Another Day” (2002) as the fencing instructor, Verity. The Bond Girl title is usually reserved for the main female character in the film with whom 007 spends the most scenes.
The three big loves of Bond's life were Tracy (Diana Rigg) from 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Eva Green's Vesper from Casino Royale and Léa Seydoux's Madeleine Swann, who was introduced in Spectre. Of course, it could be argued that 007 developed strong feelings for many of the women he courted along the way.
Christmas Jones. This one may be controversial due to Denise Richards' performance as the character, but on paper, Dr. Christmas Jones is the most intelligent Bond girl. She is a nuclear scientist who helps Bond on his mission to topple Elektra King's plans in The World is not Enough.
Who Inherited Connery's Wealth? Following his death, all of Sean Connery's assets were distributed to his wife, children, and siblings by his Will Document.
He made it known to EON Productions, the company in charge of the franchise, that he wanted a $1 million salary for the sixth movie. When his request was refused, Connery decided he was done with the James Bond role, and he was replaced by George Lazenby for 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
In terms of timespan, Daniel Craig is the longest-serving Bond of all time, with 15 years passing between his debut in Casino Royale (2006) and his swan song in No Time To Die (2021). But both Sean Connery and Roger Moore actually played the character in more films than Craig.
According to the Sun, an inside source said "Bond is Aaron's job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back." At the time (March 2024), the report expected Eon to announce Taylor-Johnson as the next Bond "in the coming days."
