James Norton 'relieved' not to be in James Bond consideration
James Norton is "relieved" he's now seen as too old to play James Bond because he had a "mixed bag" of feelings about the role.
James Norton is "relieved" he's now seen as too old to play James Bond.
The 40-year-old actor's name has frequently been mentioned as Daniel Craig's successor in the spy franchise, but it was recently reported that Amazon are keen to cast a younger star in the franchise and James can't help but be thankful because he never truly knew whether he wanted the role or not because it came at a "big cost".
He told Vulture: “Nearly every interview for ten years, I’ve been asked, ‘So … James Bond?’ ”
Of the talk of a younger Bond, he added: “Part of me is like, Wow, I’m getting old. Part of me is relieved because when I really spent time thinking about it, it would always have been a mixed bag. It’s an honour and it’s iconic and it’s a big cost.
“Good luck to whoever young whippersnapper takes the role. I’ll be sitting there with my pipe and my book and my slippers.”
James is also feeling his age on the set of Sir Sam Mendes' Beatles movies, where he plays the group's manager Brian Epstein alongside Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan and Joseph Quinn as the fab four.
He said: “I’m a bit older than them, and there have been moments where we as a group have been like, ‘That’s a bit meta.'
“Suddenly, I’m a more senior voice in the room.”
James has auditioned for major franchises in the past, and was particularly baffled by the direction he was given when trying out for Fifty Shades of Grey.
He said: “The casting director was like, ‘Okay, I just need you to be a little bit more charismatic.' And I remember thinking, What the f*** does that mean?”
The Happy Valley actor can currently be seen in House of the Dragon as Ormund Hightower and he's having the time of his life.
He said: "“They could have easily made Ormund a competent, proud, honourable man.
“Instead, we’ve got this f*****-up, sort of S+M, masochistic guy...
“I’d love to know if you think that Ormund loves being Ormund as much as I loved being Ormund.
"I don’t think he’s particularly happy, but there’s enjoyment to him. I wonder if that’s me having the time of my life as an actor or him.”
